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

Mogessie YG, Ntacyabukura B, Mengesha DT, Musa MB, Wangari MC, Claude N, Buntongyi N, Lucero-Prisno DE

Pan Afr Med J 38 (-) 240 [2021-03-07; online 2021-03-07]

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).

Category: Health

Type: Journal article

PubMed 34046143

DOI 10.11604/pamj.2021.38.240.27948

Crossref 10.11604/pamj.2021.38.240.27948

pii: PAMJ-38-240
pmc: PMC8140728


Publications 9.5.1-pretest