Africa called upon to embrace telemedicine in the battle against Covid-19

By Rosemary Mirondo

More by this Author

Dar es Salam. Experts in the health sector have called on African
countries to build their health systems in order to reduce foreign aid dependency

especially during the time when the world is battling Covid-19 effects.

They fuether called on the continent to embrace telemedicine to
curb the effects of Covid-19.

This was said during a virtual event entitled, “The Future of Health:
Innovation on the Home front:” showcase of the possibilities of
collaboration, attracting new, unlikely allies and to create a space
for a vibrant community to spark new ideas and engage in provocative conversations.

The Co-founder and Director of Rocket Health Africa, Dr John Bwanika, said that the pandemic has exposed the need to have African health innovators front and center of building health systems based on local contexts.

According to him, as innovations such as telemedicine, community-based systems, and others emerge across the continent, it is crucial that it redefines what is essential and define what the future of healthcare looks like in Africa.

“The Continent further needs to embrace telemedicine which will to a great extent reduce and avoid risk of infection through contact,” he said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Further adding, “One of the big lessons shared is the need to embrace digital health (telemedicine) to reduce possibilities of infections.
Also to reduce time wastage to hospital and back home” he said.

The founder noted that another challenge was shortage of equipment and medicines and that African countries must build their internal capacity to overcome pandemics.

He said experience has shown that during the first wave, there was shortage of protective gears such as face masks and hospital beds.

For her part, the Deputy Director of Research, Aswani Heart Centre Yasmine Aquib said it was time to design the research to serve the needy.

She said African countries must develop a way of testing and
accessibility of kits packages.
 “The pandemic has totally changed people’s life systems. Therefore, it was a time for innovators and researchers to come up with new approaches that can fully embrace technology,” she said.

The sumit is hosted by Segal Family Foundation and BMW
Foundation of change across the African continent.

“The Future Summit is a space for people to use their gifts, talents, commitment and passion to create a world for us to be seen, heard, safe, and self-determine,” explained Dedo Baranshamaje, Segal Family Foundation’s Director of Strategy-Africa