Digital health and COVID-19: challenges of use and implementation in sub-Saharan Africa

Pan Afr Med J. 2021 Mar 7:38:240. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2021.38.240.27948. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

COVID-19 is a global health emergency that exposed the gaps in health systems globally, especially in sub-Saharan Africa home to many fragile healthcare systems and a region beset with a large burden of disease. Various mitigation strategies have been put in place to stop the spread of COVID-19 and management of patients in sub-Saharan Africa. However, much still need to be done. Digital health provides the promise for the continent to bridge the gap in decreasing the negative impact of COVID-19 and effectively mitigate the pandemic. This commentary argues how countries in sub-Saharan Africa need to embrace the use of digital health in public health interventions to vigorously mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic and to contribute towards attaining universal health coverage (UHC).

Keywords: COVID-19; Digital health; sub-Saharan Africa.

MeSH terms

  • Africa South of the Sahara
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • COVID-19 / prevention & control*
  • Delivery of Health Care / organization & administration*
  • Digital Technology*
  • Humans
  • Public Health
  • Universal Health Insurance