Using Technology to Improve Healthcare Services in Africa

The African continent is home to over 1.4 billion people as of 2021, and the health challenges faced by its population are numerous and complex. Poor healthcare infrastructure, inadequate funding, and a shortage of medical professionals have hindered the provision of quality healthcare services to many Africans. However, technology has the potential to revolutionize the way healthcare services are delivered and improve health outcomes in Africa.

In recent years, various technological advancements have been made in the healthcare sector, improving the quality of healthcare services globally. In Africa, technology is being leveraged to address some of the healthcare sector’s challenges and improve access to healthcare services for millions of people. From mobile health apps to telemedicine, technology enables healthcare providers to reach patients in remote and underserved areas and provide them with quality care. This blog will delve into how technology is being used to improve healthcare services in Africa.

1. The Role Of Flying Aid In Improving Access To Medical Care

In the previous two decades, fewer roads have been built in sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding and meeting the needs of people is a significant barrier to effective outreach. There may be long periods of waiting, which may be pretty frustrating in the face of life-threatening illnesses. Drones appear like the perfect kind of transportation since they resist the weather, can land practically anywhere, travel quickly, and carry substantial loads. To deliver sickle-cell medications to Ghanaian patients, Zipline has partnered with pharmaceutical giant Novartis.

2. Mobile Health Apps: Connecting Patients And Providers In Remote Areas

Mobile health apps are smartphone applications designed to improve health outcomes by providing health-related information, tracking health metrics, and connecting patients with healthcare providers. Despite the region’s often inadequate infrastructure, mobile and internet adoption is rising in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2018, there were 302 million smartphone connections in the area which is expected to increase to nearly 700 million by 2025, GSMA predicts. Consequently, applications allowing remote access to healthcare counseling and diagnosis are becoming more popular throughout Africa.

3. Smart Locker Solutions: Securing Supplies And Optimizing Supply Chain Management

Public health clinics often have problems with excessively long queues and waiting times. The continuous demand for medications in Africa is expanding as the number of individuals with chronic illnesses rises. Pelebox is an intelligent locker system in the South African province of Gauteng that distributes medication to those with chronic diseases. The patient will get a code through text message that will allow them to open the package. Pelebox eliminates the need for long wait times at public clinics by allowing patients to pick up their chronic medicine refills in as little as 22 seconds.

4. The Power Of IoT: Revolutionizing Remote Diagnosis And Treatment

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a network of interconnected devices that can exchange data and perform tasks without human intervention. In healthcare, IoT devices can be used to diagnose and treat patients remotely, allowing medical professionals to provide care from a distance. IoT devices, such as wearable sensors and smart medical devices, can collect data about a patient’s health, which can be transmitted to healthcare providers for analysis and diagnosis. This can help to identify health problems early, even before the patient begins to experience symptoms, and allow for prompt treatment.

5. Precision Prescribing: How New Platforms Are Advancing Patient Care

Multiple platforms use advanced algorithms to analyze patient data and provide personalized medication recommendations based on the patient’s unique health profile. PrescriberPoint is a new digital platform that helps healthcare professionals prescribe the correct medicine for each patient. The platform facilitates the prescribing process, creates an environment conducive to productive collaboration, and increases your output.

6. Building Stronger Health Systems With Data

By collecting and analyzing data, technology can help drive the health system upward and improve the quality of care. One of the ways technology can do this is through predictive analytics. Predictive analytics involves machine learning algorithms and other data analysis tools to identify patterns and predict future outcomes. In healthcare, predictive analytics can be used to identify patients at risk of developing certain health conditions, allowing healthcare providers to intervene early and provide preventive care. Data sharing and harmonization in Africa is a problem. Companies like Zenysis aid with the data cleansing, aggregation, and integration necessary to get actionable insights that help decision-makers make forecasts using machine learning.

Final Thoughts 

Technology can revolutionize how healthcare services are delivered in Africa and improve health outcomes for millions of people. With the help of data analytics and machine learning, technology can enable healthcare providers to make more informed decisions about patient care, reduce medical errors, and enhance patient safety.