The Africa Digital Health Networks - ADHN’s Post

Youth Network Set to Drive Innovations in #DigitalHealth. Young Africans are set to transform the digital health landscape with the launch of the Youth in Digital Health Network (#YiDHN) by Africa CDC in collaboration with the GIZ African Union. https://lnkd.in/dSTxKpCU

Young Africans are set to transform the digital health landscape with the launch of the Youth in Digital Health Network #YiDHN by Africa CDC with the support of GIZ African Union. #Innocate. #Inspire. #Impact. #ConnectedToImpact. #YouthLeadershipInHealth. #DigitalHealth.

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to join other leaders from Siemens Healthineers in an innovation exchange with our partner UNICEF. We discussed a number of challenges in improving access to healthcare in LMICs including developing the business case to secure resources as well as scaling beyond successful pilot projects and the importance of alignment among the different actors on the intended impact. What struck me is that although we approach the topic from different angles, our two organizations share a strong commitment to applying innovation to improving healthcare for the most vulnerable. The discussions that resonated with me the most were around setting the priority for what you are seeking to achieve.  One of the innovation managers in the room defined the remit for himself and his team as "acceleration of impact".  Essentially impact + speed -- what a powerful way to approach innovation for low resource environments! We discussed that there are a lot of good ideas to be leveraged, but speed and agility are critical to ensure communities benefit from those solutions.  In the area of idea generation, there is a strong focus on "from the field to the field". UNICEF has country teams in most countries of the world, and they drive their innovation process from the perspective of the field based teams to match country needs with practical solutions, often co-developed with industry partners, very effectively.  This perspective to start "on the ground" listening to local needs is really best practice for both product and service innovation. After an inspiring day, we take away a strengthened partnership and several new topics to look into together across the spectrum of innovation to improve access to healthcare #foreverychild.  We are proud to partner with UNICEF to improve healthcare in lab system strengthening in Ghana and Ivory Coast as part of our commitment to pioneer breakthroughs in healthcare. For everyone. Everywhere. Sustainably. Amira ROMANI Maeve Bayles Ole Nygaard Gisela Henrique David Girling Claire Bonnel Sven Koster Bernd Montag Dileep Mangsuli Alex Costa Mirjam Guenther Hanna Burkhardt Kristoffer Gandrup-Marino Bernd Montag

📱 #Digital Health in Sierra Leone: Insights from Digital Health Africa Podcast SL  Key highlights from a recent Digital Health Africa podcast interview on Sierra Leone's digital health landscape: 🚀 Progress:  1.     National Digital Health Strategy (2018-2023) set the foundation for digital transformation in healthcare  2.     National Digital Health investment Roadmap (2023-2026), developed by UNICEF /MoH through the support of GIZ's Digital Innovation in Pandemic Control (DIPC) initiative, addresses challenges and provides a cohesive digital health framework in SL  3.     Ongoing implementation of integrated supportive supervision visit (eISSV) and integrated human resource information system (IHRIS) with MoH through 's Health System Strengthening and Epidemic Prevention (#HSSEP) project showing promise 🔍 Challenges:  ·      Fragmentation of digital health initiatives in SL   ·      Inadequate digital literacy among primary and secondary healthcare workers  ·      Limited funding  💡 Strategies:  ·      Effective coordination through regular meetings and change management retreats  ·      Focus on building digital skills and integrated health information systems  ·      Effective and efficient Stakeholder engagement and public-private partnerships 🌍 Lessons for other African countries:  ·      Prioritize digital literacy among healthcare workers  ·      Enforce integrated health information systems  ·      Develop sustainable funding models through diverse sources    Sierra Leone's journey in digital health, supported by international partners like Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and UNICEF, showcases the importance of strong leadership, continuous learning, and adaptive strategies in overcoming obstacles.  This podcast highlights the collaborative efforts driving digital health innovation in Africa. It's exciting to see how initiatives like HSSEP and DIPC are contributing to tangible progress in Sierra Leone's digital health community. #DigitalHealthAfrica #SierraLeone #HealthcareInnovation #GlobalHealth #GIZ #UNICEF

Yesterday at Day 2 of the Africa HealthTech Summit - AHTS , we had the privilege of attending an exclusive African Youth Ministerial Breakfast meeting hosted by Africa CDC and GIZ African Union 🤗 It was an honor to be graced by insights from Dr. Jean Kaseya who boldly and firmly shared his stand, in supporting, championing and be a key player in meaningful youth engagement & growth in Africa. 🤗🥳 This pivotal session brought together high-level government representatives, young leaders in digital health, partners, and key stakeholders to foster dialogue and collaboration. It was an interactive platform to address critical challenges and explore opportunities at the intersection of youth-led innovation and digital healthcare solutions. Highlights: -Dialogue: Sparking dynamic discussions between youth and policymakers. -Amplification: Ensuring youth voices shape digital health policies. -Collaboration: Building bridges between young innovators and established healthcare entities. -Innovation: Exploring how youth-led solutions can revolutionize healthcare. We dove into questions like how governments can better support youth-driven digital health innovations and what challenges young innovators face. The answers are set to transform our healthcare landscape, one policy at a time. Key Takeaways: -Enhanced understanding of youth-led innovation challenges and opportunities. -Policy recommendations to integrate youth solutions into national strategies. -New partnerships between youth leaders and government stakeholders. -Increased awareness of youth impact on future healthcare. -Excited to see how these conversations shape the future of healthcare in Africa! #AfricaHealthTechSummit #DigitalHealth #YouthInnovation #HealthCare #AfricaCDC #GIZAfricanUnion #YouthEmpowerment #Collaboration #FutureOfHealth

📢New Weekly Round-Up! Discover the latest news from the Digital Health Atlas (#DHA), a global repository documenting our collective knowledge of digital health implementation. 🟪 DOTOH – New self-added project in the DHA DOTOH Health, winner of the Marc Mitchell GDHF Award 2024, provides teleconsultations for underserved communities in Benin, leverages GIS to identify clinics and pharmacies and delivers culturally relevant mobile health education on sexual and reproductive health.. 👉 https://lnkd.in/dKyeQEr4 🟪 Health Master - Another new project added this week Health Master is an early-stage implementation in Rwanda aimed at improving chronic disease management by integrating AI-driven genetic analysis, real-time vital sign monitoring, personalized care services, and medication management. 👉 https://lnkd.in/dP6MrVke 🟪 rCHMIS by Guild Digital Foundation The rCHMIS (Refugee Community Health Management Information System) project facilitates and improves the work of community health volunteers (VHTs) by digitizing their tools and tasks. rCHMIS, winner of #ODESS 2023, supports medical follow-up for the refugee population in Uganda and supervises VHTs. 👉 https://lnkd.in/dENn9kcV 🟪 New users Welcome to the 32 new users who joined the Implementome this past month and registered the first 6 new projects on the Digital Health Atlas! Well done on this great start. We look forward to welcoming more new users and continuing to engage with those who have registered. 📥 Want your project featured here? Register now for visibility and impact: https://lnkd.in/dTzig5_j 👏 Brian Ssennoga. MBA, PMP, CGEIT, Irene Dushime Uwineza, Dr Joannie Marlene Bewa, Alain Labrique, Derrick Muneene, Salim A., Caroline Hermant, Fondation Pierre Fabre , Geneva Digital Health Hub (gdhub), Direction du développement et de la coopération, Université de Genève, World Health Organization. #DigitalHealth #GlobalHealth #Innovation #WeeklyRoundUp #Implementome #ODESS #GIDH #WHO #FondationPierreFabre #KnowledgeSharing #KnowledgeManagement #GDHF2024

Text of the opening remarks presented by Dr Chrys Promesse KANIKI at the ongoing Virtual Youth Consultation ahead of the Africa Health Agenda International Conference (AHAIC) - #AHAIC2025. When it comes to leadership, partnership, governance, and participation, as well as equity and in shaping the health agenda in Africa, we at the Africa CDC always emphasize the engagement of young people because their role is too important to be ignored. The highlight of Africa CDC's engagement with young people on the continent peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic when the Bingwa Initiative was established to leverage the strength of young people in fighting the disease and promoting safe health practices. The strategy to engage young people in the fight against COVID-19 brought about a significant impact in slowing down the disease and accelerating Africa's COVID-19 vaccination rate. Involving young people in the decision-making processes helps the continent to ensure that these policies reflect the needs and aspirations of young people because 65-70% of Africa's population is made up of young people. We can't succeed if we are not engaging young people, and I mean not just as participants but as actors and decision-makers who are at the forefront, championing these policies. We can't keep them as just beneficiaries only. We are all advocating for young people to be given the role and a space to talk. More importantly, we are not just advocating for young people to be at the table but to ensure that their inputs are valued. So by this, I would like to say and call everyone here a leader and say from today, let's be part of this discussion from now, as we're moving towards 2025. Thank you so much, and I look forward to a wonderful discussion as we delve into this youth consultation ahead of the Africa Health Agenda International Conference - #AHAIC2025. Thank you so much.

Addressing health inequalities through health investment Sub-Saharan Africa is the world’s most underserved patient community. The lack of quality and affordable healthcare has a profound impact on the health outcomes of African patients. Poor health has trapped many families in a cycle of poverty, disproportionately disadvantaging them in terms of high mortality from preventable diseases, inability to afford their basic needs, or good education for their children. Health inequities and social inequities are interconnected, and to some extent, some common approaches could help address systemic challenges. That is why I was delighted to be part of the #WorldHealthAssembly last week in Geneva, Switzerland. The engagement with the various partners enabled discussions on how we can bolster health systems and critical policy conversations that can reinforce these systems. Ensuring equitable and adequate access to medicines is an incremental process. It happens one step at a time and takes dedication, persistence, strong partnerships, and a deep understanding of unmet needs. With finite resources, targeted public finances are essential to achieve equitable and sustainable healthcare financing. Strengthening primary healthcare, which is typically the first point of contact for most patients, is a critical lever in addressing health inequities in underserved communities, by improving #access to basic healthcare services, early disease detection, and promotion of preventive care. Coupled with that, investments in health systems are the foundation that can further support better health outcomes for patients. An Adequate and skilled healthcare workforce, robust infrastructure, and access to essential medicines are core. Adopting a holistic approach and leveraging the power of partnerships is fundamental to addressing systemic access challenges. This may include collaborating with organizations that share a common mission of addressing the unmet needs of underserved populations. Through public-private partnerships and collaborative efforts among governments and non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, medical associations, industry, and patient advocacy groups, we can jointly co-create innovative healthcare solutions to reduce barriers to accessing care and strengthen our healthcare systems. In the spirit of ‘ubuntu’, 'I am because you are,' a country cannot thrive when some members of its population are disproportionately disadvantaged. To thrive together, equality and equity must work in tandem. Together, we can make a #HealthierAfrica.  Jayasree Iyer, David Reddy, Susana Almeida

Here are 🔦highlights🔦 from Philippe Guinot's remarks yesterday during Geneva Digital Health Day! Alongside #WHA77, he shared IntraHealth International's #DigitalHealth expertise during the health equity panel. 🔦 Strengthening Health Workforce in Refugee Settings Guinot highlighted our efforts in #Chad, where we implemented the iHRIS software to manage nearly a thousand health workers amid a massive influx of Sudanese refugees. iHRIS helps the Ministry of Health track staff, training, salary payments, and redeployment, aiming for nationwide health workforce management.   🔦Technical Challenges and Solutions Implementing digital health initiatives remotely poses challenges that were mitigated by regular on-site visits and a focus on local ownership. Guinot stressed the importance of capacity building over direct implementation to ensure sustainability, with local partners prioritizing and funding the initiatives.   🔦Collaboration for Health Equity Guinot emphasized the need for collaboration between governments, the private sector, NGOs, and communities. True partnerships should prioritize local health leaders' ambitions and focus on building resilient health systems rather than disease-specific interventions, fostering trust and equitable cooperation.   🔦Future Directions For digital health to impact health equity, it must prioritize patient care (by taking a patient-centric approach) and support frontline health workers. Tools that aid diagnosis, inventory management and patient care can help build resilient health systems, addressing the evolving needs of patients and advancing health equity. Thanks Geneva Digital Health Hub (gdhub) for including us in this fantastic event! Thanks to Khadra Abdullahi, also part of our WHA delegation, for documenting the event.

📣 NEW PUBLICATION ALERT 📣 Very excited to share findings from our exploratory evaluation of the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team, which was conducted for UK Health Security Agency and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, U. of London. UK-PHRST provides both acute deployment support during disease outbreaks, as well as long-term support through its research arm. Ipsos UK, together with colleagues in Ipsos In Uganda and Ipsos in Brazil, were commissioned to understand 1) how #capacitystrengthening and #partnership are understood and defined, 2) how this is operationalised by UK-PHRST, and 3) whether this has led to sustainable beneficial outcomes for partners. We employed a #participatoryapproach throughout the evaluation, and conducted a literature review, global interviews and a survey, as well as #outcomeharvesting and #outcomemapping workshops, in-person, in Brazil, Malawi, and Uganda. Findings were largely specific to the UK-PHRST, but more generalised findings include: - Despite some similarities, there does not appear to be a cohesive understanding nor definition of partnership and capacity strengthening across the literature, deployed staff, and in-country partners. This has potential to set up misplaced expectations on both sides; consequently, up front, open discussions at the start of these activities is important. - Capacity building was largely recognised as a bidirectional process where knowledge is exchanged; however, implementing this requires reflection and commitment from everyone involved to really understand how both partners can benefit. - There was limited evidence that short-term deployments during outbreaks are leading to longer-term, sustainable outcomes among partners. The global health community needs to do more work to ensure resources committed during deployments are integrated within pre-existing health systems, as well as ensuring there is adequate follow-up training with relevant in-country healthcare workers post-deployment. - Long-term partnerships, whilst more difficult to initiate and maintain, provide more opportunities for capacity strengthening activities and sustainable outcomes. There's a whole lot of other interesting findings in the report - feel free to have a look at the link below: https://lnkd.in/eF6x8kYA Dr Jessica Baxendale, Ilya Cereso, Emmanuel Nespaul Odongo, Paloma Crotti, Holly Naomi Brown