Africa called upon to embrace telemedicine in the battle against coronavirus

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 further 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 creating 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 the risk of infection through contact,” he said.

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 the shortage of equipment and medicines and that African countries must build their internal capacity to overcome pandemics.

He said the experience has shown that during the first wave, there was a shortage of protective gear 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 summit is hosted by the 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-determined,” explained Dedo Baranshamaje, Segal Family Foundation’s Director of Strategy-Africa