Digital health a good path to boosting care
Community Health Promoter, Everline Sisuma (right) uses her digital device to register the household of Claudia Samatha during her household registration exercise in Nambale, Busia County
As thousands gather next week in Nairobi for the world’s largest digital health conference, the spotlight is on how technology can transform healthcare access. In sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, nearly half the population still lacks access to essential health services. Bridging this gap requires innovative and scalable solutions that are cost-effective and deliver measurable results. Governments and stakeholders must therefore adopt and scale up proven, cost-effective methods to improve health outcomes.
One promising solution lies in digital health interventions. In Busia County, a five-year digital health project led by Living Goods, and evaluated by the Kenya Medical Research Institute, demonstrated the transformative potential of equipping community health workers (CHWs) with digital tools. They were able to diagnose and treat childhood illnesses like malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea more efficiently. This project saw malaria testing coverage rise from 51 per cent to 75 per cent, with same-day diagnosis and treatment improving from 9 per cent to 59 per cent. This led to a significant reduction of child disease and death rates.
Implementation of digital platforms, such as the electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS), has reduced paperwork and improved service delivery. In Kisumu County, eCHIS has enhanced maternal health outcomes by 30 per cent, and increased skilled birth attendance. The Kenyan government-led eCHIS is based on the Smart Health Application co-developed by Living Goods in partnership with Medic. The Kisumu pilot conducted in collaboration with the sub-county administration provided critical insights into the platform’s impact and scalability and laid the groundwork for a nationwide rollout.
Despite these encouraging examples of progress brought about by digital health solutions, the road ahead remains long. Africa still faces the challenge of having the second-highest under-five mortality rate globally, with about 2,700 children dying every day as of 2022.
To address these inequities and save lives, stakeholders must commit to scaling up digital solutions that integrate technology into everyday healthcare delivery. From artificial intelligence-driven personalised care to remote patient monitoring and virtual care platforms, cutting-edge technologies are reshaping healthcare delivery by increasing accessibility, improving outcomes, and fostering resilience even during crises like the Covid-19 pandemic.
Governments, donors and tech companies must prioritise investments in sustainable, equitable digital health solutions that empower CHWs and transform healthcare for underserved communities. This is not just an investment in technology, but a commitment to saving lives, reducing health disparities and building resilient health systems. By scaling up these innovations, we can build on progress already achieved and create a future where every community in Africa has access to healthcare.
Mr Katara is the chief digital health officer at Living Goods.
