By Kumba Leigh
The question of how Africa can leverage on technology in terms of financial protection, in which every African should be able to access quality healthcare when needed, has prominently featured in one of the biggest gatherings of health experts and stakeholders in the continent - International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA ) recently held in the Zambian capital of Lusaka.
It has been noted that digitalisation is significant in primary health care delivery and that transforming health through digital innovation to enhancing healthcare and patient engagement across Africa is paramount.
In an interview on the fringes of the CPHIA, on the role of technology to enhancing quality healthcare in shaping the future of African healthcare delivery, Dr Wasunna Owino, the Country Director of Pharmacies Foundations based in Kenya, affirmed that technological innovation is central to the transformation of Africa’s healthcare. “We do not have time to waste with digital technology,’’ he stated.
He went on: “We are able to fasten our registration enrolment in the respective health insurance schemes, claims, empowerment amongst others. Through digitalisation, you also have a pool of providers”.
“It is significant that in the drive to providing quality healthcare services, there is the need to look into the issues of women and their babies, because they bare the bigger burden of healthcare.
In Kenya, we have a platform called mum-care. With this platform, we are able to track the pregnancy journey of pregnant mothers, high risk of diseases, and ensure that there is reduction on the issue of maternal mortality rate,’’.
Digital innovation has the potential to revolutionise healthcare, making it safer and more accessible to all Africans. The outbreak of Covid 19 proved this right as it sparked the urgency to re-examine healthcare delivery amidst grave economic crises across the world.
“Technology creates an opportunity for financial protection, easy tracing, and payment of healthcare services, data and information organization, as well as individual empowerment. During Covid, this was an essential issue and we had an increase in telemedicine and the use of data analytics to track cases but also for underground surveillance”.
Dr.Wasunna Owino reaffirmed that digital transformation is the only opportunity for Africa to address its healthcare challenges in terms of access, pre-payment schemes,but also reducing high maternal mortality and infant death rate in Africa.
Pointing to the importance of such conferences as the CPHIA, the Country Director for Kenya said they help converge African leaders, partners to seriously take a step towards innovation as part of a developmental tool to transform the continent.
However, if Africa must take advantage of digitalisation, health workers must acquaint themselves with the tools.
Experts believe exposing health workers to digital tools can unlock their potential to transform healthcare delivery, improve patient outcomes, and create a more efficient and connected healthcare system.
“Countries have to build capacities of their staff in terms of software and hardware, so that they are exposed to the real work of technology and the know-how and skills in different aspects, especially in the health sector. For this to come to play, policy makers must provide an enabling environment to support and help innovators,” Dr.Wasunna Owino stressed.
He submitted that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a powerful force that can revolutionise industries including healthcare. He said Africa with its unique challenges and opportunities stands to benefit from this.
