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In recent times digital health conversations have increasingly focused around optimizing and integrating existing solutions to improve disease, surveillance and preparedness to achieve improved impact. Now this is not unconnected to the fact that the world, and especially the African region, has endured a series of public health emergencies and disease outbreaks which required urgent responses. 

The 24th edition of the Insight Webinar titled “Digital Transformation in Public Health Practice: Innovations and Impact”, brought together experts and stakeholders to discuss the transformative role of digital technologies in public health. The Webinar highlighted the rapidly evolving terrain of public health, driven by technological advancements. 

Public Health experts discussed how digital tools, including artificial intelligence and machine learning in medical imaging, data analytics, and telehealth, are transforming public health practice, and significantly enhancing  disease, surveillance, resource allocation and overall healthcare delivery. Key innovations such as digital disease surveillance, mobile health applications, and virtual care platforms were highlighted as tools that enhances diagnostic accuracy, improve patient outcomes and expand access to quality healthcare

The panelists also emphasized the importance of integrating these digital tools into public health strategies to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of health interventions. They also shared real-world cases of how digital transformation is enabling faster responses to health crises, improving data-driven decision-making, and increasing public engagement in health initiatives.

The webinar also featured  discussion on the challenges and ethical considerations of digital health, including data privacy, accessibility, and the need for ongoing training for public health professionals to adapt to these technological changes. The session underscored the critical role of digital transformation in shaping the future of public health practice, calling for collaboration across sectors to maximize its potential.

The panelists encouraged the public to embrace innovative solutions and to leverage digital tools to address public health challenges. The webinar concluded with a call to action for public health professionals to stay abreast of technological developments and to foster a culture of innovation within their organizations.

Panelists; 

• Emeka Chukwu –  Snr. Digital Health Advisor, health.enabled Co-convener, Digital Health Interoperability Network (DHIN) Chairman, National Technical Committee on Medical Devices, SON
• George Uduku – General Manager, West Africa at GE Healthcare
• Dr Ifunanya Ilodibe – Chief Medical Officer, EHA Clinics 

Moderator:  

Tijesu Ojumu – Communications Coordinator, eHealth Africa 

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The 23rd episode of insights webinar featured a very important conversation about climate change and its impact on public health. The webinar held in June hosted experts who have invested time and resources in creating awareness and implementing interventions to mitigate the impacts of climate change on public  health. 

Climate Change as described by panelists, is the significant changes in global temperature and weather patterns over time. This is  primarily caused by human activities including deforestation, increase in livestock farming, the use of fertilizers that contain nitrogen, overfishing, industrialization and urbanization. 

Concerns were also raised around  burning of fossil fuel which releases greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, leading to global warming and this in turn.  Panelists opined that the causes and impact of climate change are multifaceted as they affect both natural and human systems.

In the course of the webinar, emerging public health threats posed by climate change were also discussed to include air quality degradation, leading to increased incidence of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and food insecurity. This has escalated the rate of  malnutrition and spread in diseases such as vector-born disease, water-borne disease, and food-borne disease, rise in temperature, extreme weather events like increasing occurrences of heat waves, hurricanes, drought, storms. These according to panelists can cause injuries, deaths, displacements of populations, and mental issues. Ultimately, they reiterated that climate change affects the basic needs of humans which are food, shelter and water.

Stakeholders implored government and communities to develop and implement  Climate Adaptation Strategies and  climate transformative leadership and governance. They suggested a climate smart workforce while asserting the need for a flexible, adaptable surveillance system. Experts similarly called for multi-sectoral partners like the Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Emergency Management Agencies to come up with multi-hazard emergency response plans as part of remedies to the effect of changing climate.  They urged that all these should be trickled down to the state level, community level, household level and individual level so that our environment can continue to serve us and the future generation.

Other recommendations include, integrated risk monitoring and early warning, health and climate research, climate resilience infrastructure technologies and supply chain, management of environmental determinants of health, climate informed health programming, climate related emergency preparedness and management.

Moderator

• Tijesu Ojumu – Communications Coordinator, eHealth Africa

Panelists

Temitayo Tella-Lah – Program Manager/Program Lead Climate Adaptation in Health, Food Security and Nutrition.

Zillah Waminaje –  Digital and Public Health Consultant, Salient Advisory Canada.

Dr John Bosco Isunju –   Senior Lecturer, Makerere University School of Public Health. Team Lead, Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment and Development of the Health Adaptation Plan.

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On the 14th of June, the world will be celebrating World Blood Donors Day! The aim of the celebration  is also a timely moment to address continued challenges, and accelerate progress towards a future where safe blood transfusion is universally accessible. This objective and more shaped discussion during the  22nd episode of Insights Webinar. 

Seasoned Public Health Professionals and experts who have dedicated their lives to saving lives using innovative blood management systems were on ground to address critical issues around blood crises across the globe.  This month’s episode dissected the development and implementation of advanced technologies to improve efficiency and effectiveness of blood management systems as the world gradually moves from  traditional approaches of blood donation and management.

The panelists discussed the challenges around blood donation to include strong and core religious beliefs, lack of awareness and education, inadequate infrastructure for blood collection and preservation. These challenges have accounted for low blood donation which is a significant global health challenge.

The economic value of integrating technology into blood management according to the panelists include minimized wastage of blood by keeping track of expiration period of the blood, reminders to donors for constant availability of blood in the blood bank. It also ensures timely and safe blood transfusion.

During the webinar, Panelists also revealed collaboration between eHealth Africa and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital to pilot a Blood Information for Crisis Intervention and Management (BISKIT); a digital tool developed by eHealth Africa.  The BISKIT is a specialized software solution consisting of both mobile and web applications designed to manage various aspects of the blood donation chain from donation to distribution stage for improved patient outcome.

Panelists call for collaboration with the local leaders and community health workers to improve education on fears and cultural taboos around blood donation and transfusion. This, according to them, will go a long way in tackling blood crises in developing and low income countries.

Moderator

• Onome Faith Egbra – Coordinator, Software Business Analyst

Panelists

Dr Aisha Amal Galadanci – Haematologist Consultant/Senior Lecture Bayero University, Kano

Jamil Galadanci : Senior Manager, Global Health Informatics, eHealth Africa

Dr Ibrahim Musa – Head of Haematology, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Kano

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Earlier in the month, the world commemorated the World Health Day with the theme; My Health my right. In this vein, the 21st episode of Insights Webinar focused on the health rights of underserved communities, highlighting challenges, impacts and recommendations for improved access to quality healthcare. 

Panelists emphasized the need to prioritize the health rights of underserved communities. Considering the dynamics of food production especially in developing countries, people in rural areas constitute the majority of the workforce that feed the nation.   Thus safeguarding the health rights of this category of people makes them even more productive.

Beyond the rights to quality healthcare, safe drinking water, hygienic environment and nutritious food, panelists also raised the importance of the right to information through proper community engagement in both planning and implementation of health interventions.

Major concerns around availability of quality healthcare facilities were raised during the discussion as panelists also decried lack of health experts or medical personnel to manage existing facilities especially in these underserved communities. 

There is also a need for intersectoral collaboration as the issues that affect health cuts across other sectors like Agriculture, environment amongst others. Panelists also called for certain important behavioral changes that impact on the health of citizens. 

The role of technology in promoting health rights in underserved communities was not left out of the discussion as panelists believe that broadband penetration remains key to certain health interventions like Telemedicine, digitization of medical records amongst others. 

Moderator

Tijesu Ojumu- Communications Coordinator eHA

Panelist

Dr. Whenayon Simeon Ajisegiri–  Research Associate, George Institute for Global Health, Sydney Australia, Nepean Blue Mountain Hospital Australia 

Dr. Ahmad Hashim : Head of Information Communication Technology, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital 

Dr. Maria Imaobong Ibegu –  Consultant Physician, Bayelsa State Hospitals Management Board 

​​Dr. Charles Akataobi Michael – Senior Technical Officer, Africa CDC. Eastern Africa Coordinating Centre. Lead, Eastern Africa Regional Integrated Surveillance and  Laboratory Network, Nairobi Kenya.

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The 20th episode of Insights Webinar rightly commemorated the International Women’s Day by focusing discussion on Investing in Women to Accelerate Digital Progress.  This month’s discussion, hosted on  March 27th 2024 featured experts in the field of Technology, Digital health and youth empowerment; dissecting issues, challenges and recommendations for improved investment in women globally. 

Panelists reiterated the important role women play in the economy of nations especially in  the area of digital technology and entrepreneurship. They however decried the gender gap that needs to be bridged if progress must be sustained. 

Other concerns raised during the webinar include; cultural challenges, social norms and patriarchal nature of societies especially in developing countries. These challenges have hindered acceleration of digital progress in women. 

In this vein, panelists also called on investors across sectors to increase investment in women as research shows that  every dollar invested in a woman business tends to yield more returns.   Finally , access to education, training  and mentoring were also highlighted as the core of support women need to accelerate the digital process. 

Host

 Tijesu Ojumu- Communications Coordinator eHealth Africa
Panelists

Motunrayo Opayinka–   Founder and CEO of Womenovate, Nigeria 

Saree Mading – Chief of Staff, Luol Deng Foundation, South Sudan

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The  18th episode of Insights webinar  held on Wednesday 31st January 2024  focused on strengthening Public Health Laboratories for pandemic preparedness. The webinar featured seasoned professionals with immense expertise from within and outside the African continent.

In the course of the session our experts delved into the critical  roles of Laboratories especially as a reservoir of data for causes of all diseases and its centrality in providing the information or data that is responsible for determining the state of health of people in the community.  One key concern  raised is the need to enhance the communication between government departments within a country and international key team players.

In this vein, panelists called on  developing countries to ensure optimum utilization of Laboratory facilities and ensure deployment of appropriate equipment for proper data aggregation and management. This is because  some diseases need Laboratory data before they can critically be diagnosed. 

They further revealed that while the emergence of new media of communication has made data management easier, there is a need to  have a centralized system of gathering and storing data so that it can easily be accessed for any purpose.

To fully prepare our Laboratories for an emergency outbreak, panelists called for effective partnership with adequate financial investment and workable policies for optimum output.  The panelists also advised appropriate utilization of resources, timely diagnosis,  training of Laboratory personnels and most importantly, free flow of communication and information exchange across borders for early detection and quick response to outbreak.

Moderator

•   Lucy Okoye – Manager Laboratory System at eHealth Africa

Panelists

Wayne Howard – Senior Medical Scientist, Centre for Vaccines and Immunology, National Institute  for Communicable Diseases NICD, Division of National Health Laboratory Services, Sandringham South Africa)

Mr Manason Rubainu –  Medical Laboratory Director, Peak Medical Laboratories Ltd, Rtd, Head of Laboratory Services University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, NLTWG Leadership

Joanne Hassan –  Technical Coordinator, EPI Laboratory Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)

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The November Insights Webinar featured an array of experts cutting across the Academia, Government Ministries, Agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations as we dissected critical emerging trends and opportunities in Health Information Management Systems. Important. The panelists reiterated the fact that Health Information is a foundational component and a very important building block in Healthcare and thus is a priority area in the National Strategic Health Development plan. 

Similarly, the panelist from the Government perspective reiterated that the Health Information Management system is a crucial component and one of the factors that will determine the achievement of Nigeria’s Universal health coverage goal. Thus, beyond the deployment of Hardware and software for effective Health Information Management Systems, the cost of connectivity also remains crucial in ensuring efficacy. 

He said the usage of Information Management systems across every sector is getting wider as stakeholders continue to understand the importance of data in decision making.  Thus there is a need to have credible high quality data to inform objective  and impactful decisions to improve healthcare delivery. 

Importantly, Health Information Management Systems has consistently guided Humanitarian interventions in complex and dynamic environments to understand  victims and beneficiaries especially during public health emergencies. At the National level, there are significant  trends  in Health Information Management systems in a country like Nigeria. This according to one of the panelists is due to key reforms which have improved the contribution of Information Communication Technology to other sectors and also to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.

Stakeholders Call for need for further collaborations across multiple sectors including academia, local communities, Government agencies, young people and startups to improve Health Information Management Systems especially in Low and Medium Income countries.

Moderator

•  Israel Cheuka Chauke – Program Manager  iMMAP  – 

Panelists

Emeka Nwankwo- Digital held Desk Officer, Department of Health Planning Research and Statistics, Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria

Abdulhamid Yahaya – Deputy Director, Global Health Informatics in ICT Services, ehealth Africa 

Dr Audu Liman – Head of Atiku Institute for Development, American University of Nigeria

Sulaiman Badamasi  – Research and Data Analyst -iMMAP

Faysal Barau – Information Management Officer- Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Engr. Usman Maaruf Yakubu, – Digital Economy Development Department, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)

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In our 16th episode of Insights by eHA, held on Wednesday, October 25th, 2023, we delved into the transition from traditional healthcare information storage to the adoption of Electronic Medical Records (EMR). This session gathered experts from diverse fields to discuss the development, principles, impact, and ethical-legal considerations surrounding EMR.

During the webinar, our panelists emphasized the pivotal role EMR plays in modern healthcare. It substantially reduces medication errors, mitigates misinterpretations of handwritten records, addresses adverse drug reactions, optimizes technology for universal healthcare access, coordinates care plans across healthcare providers, and enhances efficiency and cost-effectiveness for healthcare organizations.

The panelists also highlighted crucial factors for EMR implementation: User-centered design, scalability, flexibility, interoperability, and regulatory compliance. Success stories from EHA’s clinics in Nigeria, showcasing improved patient satisfaction and care coordination, as well as Kenya’s Kenyatta National Hospital’s enhanced patient care and administrative efficiency, were discussed.

However, challenges in EMR implementation were identified. These include designing new features, lack of standardized data formats and coding systems, literacy and training, and limited access to high-speed internet and reliable power sources.

Ethical and legal considerations in EMR implementation were also addressed. These encompass consent and access control, data ownership and portability, data retention and deletion, and informed consent for research.

To ensure the successful adoption of EMR, our panelists called for ongoing awareness campaigns, targeted at healthcare workers to enhance their understanding of its significance. Moreover, they advocated for collaborative efforts between governments, healthcare providers, stakeholders, and IT experts to establish standardized data formats and invest in robust IT infrastructure.

Moderator

Tope Ogunseye Falodun  – eHealth Africa 

Panelists

Dr Raphael Akangbe (PhD) – Digital Health and Health Informatics Expert.

Abdulhamid Yahaya – Deputy Director, Global Health Informatics, eHealth Africa

 George Ohia – Engineering Lead, Health Informatics, EHA Clinics.

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The need to foster and improve public-private partnerships when it comes to last-mile vaccine delivery formed the crux of discussion during the September episode of Insights by eHA held on Wednesday, 27th September 2023.  The monthly Public Health Insights Webinar Series to provide a platform for intellectual discussions on improving healthcare systems in Africa. 

This episode titled, “Promoting public-private partnerships to improve last-mile vaccine delivery, brought together industry experts with an array of experience in the area of public-private partnerships in vaccine delivery, its many success stories and challenges hindering its prospects.  Speaking during the webinar, panelists reiterated the importance of designing a concrete plan and solid framework to ensure sustainable implementation. Panelists also laid emphasis on the need  for all partners to be on the same page as regards the monitoring and evaluating the progress  of such a project.

According to panelists, it  is important to explore the accessibility of mobile technologies to ensure vaccines get to remote areas. A simple example is the use of Whatsap and Short Message Services via partnership with mobile service providers for effective communication to clients and caregivers to encourage and increase vaccination. Private partnership plays a crucial role in setting up and utilisation of such technologies to promote vaccine uptake. 

Citing examples, panelists revealed that the “Africa Resource Center for Excellence in Supply Chain Management (ARC_ESM) midwifed a public private partnership to ensure that life saving vaccines are available and affordable across all states of intervention. This was achieved by partnering the local pharmaceutical companies to improve production capacities, ensure drug safety and increase job availability due to potential increased demand for medicines.  Another important public private partnership highlighted during the webinar is between Zipline Drone Delivery and Logistics  and Kaduna State Government which successfully delivered life saving vaccines to remote areas using drones. 

The panelists called on government agencies to prioritize partnerships through   effective resource allocation and improved commitment to ensure scaling of these partnerships while calling for the replication of successful partnerships in other locations taking cognisance of the contexts.

Moderator

Mohammed-Faosy Adeniran  – eHealth Africa 

Panelists

• Timilehin Omole –  Executive Director of the International Association of Public Health Logisticians 

• Doreen Enejoh – Country Program Lead, USAID MTaPS Program, Management Sciences for Health, Nigeria 

• Dr. Abiodun Oyenuga – Project Lead, BMGF Strategic Support to targeted Nigerian States to Improve Supply Chain Performance

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