Africa’s Digital Health Revolution: Leapfrogging Challenges to Deliver Healthcare for All (Preprint)

Abstract

UNSTRUCTURED Proposed Article Abstract: In the African context, digital health solutions can leapfrog numerous health systems challenges to delivering effective and high quality care. However, the last 25 years of digital health innovation for Africa has resulted in numerous prototypes with very few implemented and sustained at large scales. In this viewpoint, we discuss opportunities for [HB2] and challenges in developing , evaluating and scaling digital technologies that are context specific to sub-Saharan Africa. We then explore a ‘people, process, tech’ approache to empower stakeholders to effectively navigate this complex landscape: bundling interventions, committing to open source, focusing on systems and technology integration[HB4] , and becoming the platform. We will illustrate these strategic approaches with case studies from the African continent.