This archive report was first published on 25 August 2021.
Published on August 25, 2021, a report by Vodacom has revealed a significant surge in the use of digital health solutions across Africa, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report, part of the Africa.connected campaign, highlights the exponential rise in the number of people engaging with digital health services through their smartphones, creating vast potential for countries to deliver access to healthcare digitally.
According to the report, 41 out of 54 African countries have a digital health strategy in place, and consumers are dramatically increasing their engagement with digital health services via their smartphones. It is forecast that by 2025, smartphone reach in sub-Saharan Africa will increase by almost 70%.
As a result, informal use of digital healthcare solutions has increased, with 41% of internet users across Africa regularly using their mobile phones to search for health information. Digital health apps have also seen increased usage during the pandemic, with the Byon8 app, which offers access to online doctors and symptom check-ups, showing a 40% increase in engagement since March 2021.
However, the report also highlights significant risks associated with informal healthcare systems, including privacy concerns, medical misinformation, and exacerbation of inequality. To address these challenges, the report calls for more partnerships between the public sector and digital health providers on formal systems.
Vodacom's Mum & Baby service in South Africa is cited as a successful example of how this can work, providing free information about pregnancy and childcare via mobile devices for parents-to-be.
“The vision behind the Africa.connected campaign – to help close the digital divide in Africa’s key economic sectors – is ambitious and we understand that we cannot achieve this alone,” said Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub. “We must ‘meet in the middle’, integrating formal and informal digital health systems to harness the current rise in digital health engagement. It is our efforts now, working together to propel digital inclusion, which will determine Africa’s future.”
