As much as digital health is key in attaining Universal Health Coverage,it can't be alone.
Digital Health (DH) could contribute to the sustainable attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) if there is appropriate DH governance framework, and it is implemented within the broader framework of resilient health systems, communities and access to the social, economic and environmental determinants of health.
The foregoing discourse has shown that DH could be used as tools to strengthen health systems for UHC. However, DH is not the panacea to attainment of UHC in Africa. Other prerequisites such as improvement of overall governance and stewardship of health services in a manner that facilitates adoptions of sustainable digital solutions, plus integrating with wider government systems are required. Furthermore, resilient health systems and communities as well as good access to the social, economic and environmental determinants of health are also needed. For instance, the use of drones to deliver blood supplies which has been successfully piloted in Rwanda depended on availability and mobilization of blood donors, kits for blood collection, health workers to carry out the procedures, functional laboratories and blood banks for testing and storage, health workers to administer the blood products to the ultimate beneficiary, liaison with government transport and communication institutions for necessary authorizations and funds to finance the entire system.
Electronic health information systems which have been deployed in several African countries can only achieve their aim if health services are delivered, health information is generated and captured by health workers at the health service delivery points, entered into a database, analyzed and used for informed decision making by public health decision makers. Furthermore, the social, economic and environmental determinants of health such as water, sanitation, good housing etc. which are promoted by rapid SMS messages should be readily available at the community level to support the translation of such messages into improved health outcomes.
Innovative approaches such as DH could leapfrog the attainment of UHC and the other SDG 3 targets in Africa. African health and ICT stakeholders should therefore embrace the transformative capacity which it offers. However, DH initiatives should be implemented within the holistic framework of resilient health systems, communities and the social and economic determinants of health. Although good progress has been made in the deployment of DH in Africa, several challenges militating again its widespread deployment for UHC would need to be addressed.
