Digital health and the need to develop centers of expertise in sub-Saharan Africa : two examples in Mali and Cameroon

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 348-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.-O. Bagayoko ◽  
G. Bediang ◽  
A. Anne ◽  
M. Niang ◽  
A.-K. Traoré ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Digital Health ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Sub Saharan

scholarly journals Addressing Care Continuity and Quality Challenges in the Management of Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases in a Sub-Saharan Private Healthcare Sector: a Case for Health Information Systems (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aisha Walcott-Bryant ◽  
Sekou Remy ◽  
William Ogallo ◽  
Katherine Tryon ◽  
Winnie Shena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Healthcare Systems ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Noncommunicable Diseases ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Private Healthcare ◽  
Care Continuity ◽  
Sub Saharan

BACKGROUND The rise of noncommunicable diseases in sub-Saharan Africa places strain on already stretched healthcare systems, that have traditionally focused on infectious diseases. Healthcare provision is fragmented, and there is a dearth of literature on the experiences, challenges, and solutions for improving the management of noncommunicable diseases in sub-Saharan private healthcare sectors. OBJECTIVE We investigated the management of hypertension in the Kenyan private healthcare sector to understand how a health information system could be used to address care continuity and quality challenges in the management of hypertension and other noncommunicable diseases. METHODS We conducted in-depth interviews and direct observations at 18 healthcare institutions in Kenya. We analyzed the data to identify the key challenges and proposed solutions to the challenges. We subsequently used the generated insights to propose the design of a digital health solution for enabling care quality and continuity at the study setting and similar ecosystems. RESULTS The private healthcare sector in Kenya is fragmented and faces challenges such as high cost of care, limited healthcare literacy, lack of self-management support, ineffective referral systems, inadequate care provider training, and inadequate regulation. Care coordination is hindered by suboptimal encounter data collection, limited view of patient histories, and little trust between care providers. Patient health records are siloed in multiple paper and electronic systems that lack integration. The proposed digital health platform system supports care coordination and continuity within fragmented healthcare systems by enabling patient-consented data sharing while ensuring that care providers in separate facilities have holistic views of the patient’s clinical and non-clinical history. CONCLUSIONS Health information systems can play a pivotal role in addressing the care continuity and quality challenges in the management of noncommunicable diseases in sub-Saharan Africa private healthcare sectors. Leveraging technology and processes to support patients managing chronic noncommunicable diseases in disparate clinical and nonclinical settings (e.g. at home and in support groups) is critical.

scholarly journals Sub-Saharan Africa—the new breeding ground for global digital health

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. e160-e162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Holst ◽  
Felix Sukums ◽  
Danica Radovanovic ◽  
Bernard Ngowi ◽  
Josef Noll ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Digital Health ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Breeding Ground ◽  
Sub Saharan

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

2021 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yidnekachew Girma Mogessie ◽  
Blaise Ntacyabukura ◽  
Dawit Tesfagiorgis Mengesha ◽  
Mohamed Babiker Musa ◽  
Marie-Claire Wangari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Digital Health ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Sub Saharan

Digital Health in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa: Catching Up!

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 342-345
Author(s):  
P. Lepère ◽  
B. Tchounga ◽  
D.-K. Ekouevi
Keyword(s):  
Digital Health ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Catching Up ◽  
Sub Saharan

RTS,S/AS01, a vaccine targeting pre-erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (6) ◽  
pp. 533-537
Author(s):  
Lorenz von Seidlein ◽  
Borimas Hanboonkunupakarn ◽  
Podjanee Jittmala ◽  
Sasithon Pukrittayakamee
Keyword(s):  
Protective Efficacy ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Phase Iii ◽  
European Medicines Agency ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Pivotal Phase ◽  
Malaria Epidemiology ◽  
Maximum Benefit ◽  
Sub Saharan

RTS,S/AS01 is the most advanced vaccine to prevent malaria. It is safe and moderately effective. A large pivotal phase III trial in over 15 000 young children in sub-Saharan Africa completed in 2014 showed that the vaccine could protect around one-third of children (aged 5–17 months) and one-fourth of infants (aged 6–12 weeks) from uncomplicated falciparum malaria. The European Medicines Agency approved licensing and programmatic roll-out of the RTSS vaccine in malaria endemic countries in sub-Saharan Africa. WHO is planning further studies in a large Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme, in more than 400 000 young African children. With the changing malaria epidemiology in Africa resulting in older children at risk, alternative modes of employment are under evaluation, for example the use of RTS,S/AS01 in older children as part of seasonal malaria prophylaxis. Another strategy is combining mass drug administrations with mass vaccine campaigns for all age groups in regional malaria elimination campaigns. A phase II trial is ongoing to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the RTSS in combination with antimalarial drugs in Thailand. Such novel approaches aim to extract the maximum benefit from the well-documented, short-lasting protective efficacy of RTS,S/AS01.

Mortality and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa

1993 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 555-556
Author(s):  
Lado Ruzicka
Keyword(s):  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Sub Saharan

Adolescent Suicidality as Seen in Rural Northeastern Uganda

Crisis ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugene Kinyanda ◽  
Ruth Kizza ◽  
Jonathan Levin ◽  
Sheila Ndyanabangi ◽  
Catherine Abbo
Keyword(s):  
Low Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Psychosocial Risk ◽  
Psychiatric Nurses ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Childhood Experiences ◽  
Low Socioeconomic ◽  
Dsm Iv ◽  
Sub Saharan

Background: Suicidal behavior in adolescence is a public health concern and has serious consequences for adolescents and their families. There is, however, a paucity of data on this subject from sub-Saharan Africa, hence the need for this study. Aims: A cross-sectional multistage survey to investigate adolescent suicidality among other things was undertaken in rural northeastern Uganda. Methods: A structured protocol administered by trained psychiatric nurses collected information on sociodemographics, mental disorders (DSM-IV criteria), and psychological and psychosocial risk factors for children aged 3–19 years (N = 1492). For the purposes of this paper, an analysis of a subsample of adolescents (aged 10–19 years; n = 897) was undertaken. Results: Lifetime suicidality in this study was 6.1% (95% CI, 4.6%–7.9%). Conclusions: Factors significantly associated with suicidality included mental disorder, the ecological factor district of residence, factors suggestive of low socioeconomic status, and disadvantaged childhood experiences.

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