May 2025 - eHealth Africa

Building a Resilient Health Workforce: Lessons from eHealth Africa’s Insights Webinar

Posted on May 30, 2025July 5, 2025 by Tijesu Ojumu

Tijesu Ojumu

In the latest episode of Insights Webinar (Ep. 32), eHealth Africa gathered health leaders, field experts, and technologists to tackle a pressing question:
“How can we strengthen the frontline health workforce to build resilient, effective health systems?”

This conversation went beyond theory—grounded in real-life stories from Nigeria and across Africa. It revealed that empowering frontline workers isn’t just a matter of investment—it’s the cornerstone of sustainable public health.

Across Nigeria and much of Africa, health systems are only as strong as the people who carry them. Community health workers. Surveillance officers. Data collectors. Midwives. These frontline actors form the invisible spine of the healthcare system. Yet too often, their voices, tools, and training are the last to be prioritized.

This was the urgent focus of a recent eHealth Africa-hosted webinar titled “How Do We Strengthen the Frontline Health Workforce to Build Resilient Systems?” Held as part of the Insights Webinar Series, this virtual conversation gathered public health leaders, digital health experts, and frontline practitioners to confront a truth that cannot be ignored: there is no strong health system without a strong frontline workforce.

Why Frontline Health Workers Matter More Than Ever

In an era of pandemics, climate-linked outbreaks, and rising health demands, the frontline workforce must be empowered—not stretched thin. The stories shared during the webinar were vivid. A health worker in Bauchi recounted how, using eHealth Africa’s microplanning tool, Planfeld, she helped identify a remote settlement that had been missed in previous immunization campaigns. Her digital training enabled her to map and reach families, ensuring over 200 children were vaccinated.

These stories, while inspiring, also reveal a gap: our systems cannot scale if the people on the ground are unsupported.

What Makes a Resilient Health Workforce?

According to the panelists, resilience is not about working harder—it’s about working smarter. And smarter systems require deliberate investment in three pillars:

1. Tools That Work Where the Roads Don’t

Digital tools are only effective when they fit the reality of field workers. The success of platforms like Planfeld in places like Kebbi and Lagos stems from their design: offline functionality, ease of use, and integration into daily health tasks. When CHWs can carry tools that work regardless of network coverage, data improves, and so does decision-making.

2. Training That Doesn’t Stop After Day One

Introducing a new app or system is just the beginning. True transformation happens when health workers receive ongoing mentorship and support. Webinar participants cited cases where follow-up sessions led to 30% improvements in data quality. Iterative learning, not one-off workshops, is the foundation of workforce development.

3. Systems That Listen Back

Collecting data is important. Acting on it is essential. The most resilient systems create feedback loops where CHWs, supervisors, and planners can respond to what the data reveals. One technical advisor shared that a nurse who flags a vaccine stockout should expect a response the next day—not weeks later. Otherwise, the system loses credibility.

Elevating Local Expertise

An important theme echoed throughout the session: those closest to the problem are often closest to the solution. When health workers participate in the design and rollout of digital tools, uptake and sustainability improve. Several speakers emphasized the value of “co-creation,” where CHWs and local stakeholders help shape the very systems they are expected to use.

Lessons for Donors and Partners

For partners, funders, and development agencies, the path forward is clear:

Integrate technology and training. Don’t fund digital platforms without allocating resources for hands-on, repeated training.
Support pilot-to-scale models. Programs that start small and evolve with user feedback are more likely to succeed.
Invest in supervision and follow-through. Data must lead to action. Tools are only as strong as the systems they plug into.
Make frontline workers visible in policy. Include their needs, voices, and priorities in health systems planning.

Building the Future, One Worker at a Time

eHealth Africa continues to embed these principles across its programming. From early disease detection to microplanning and cold chain logistics, frontline workers are central to every success story.

The vision is clear: a health system where digital tools serve people, not the other way around. Where midwives, CHWs, and health informants have the tools they need, the training they deserve, and the power to shape decisions.

Because ultimately, health systems don’t fail because technology is lacking. They fail when the people who carry them are left behind.

And if we truly want resilient systems, we must begin at the base—by backing the backbone.

Want to explore more?
Watch the full webinar here: https://youtu.be/gmaNtXPsG2M

Visit ehealthafrica.org to learn how we’re supporting health workers through technology, training, and partnership.

Digital Microplanning in Lagos: Transforming Primary Health Care with Planfeld

Posted on May 28, 2025July 4, 2025 by Tijesu Ojumu

By Tijesu Ojumu

In Nigeria’s most populous state, a quiet transformation is underway—one that could redefine how health services reach millions. This transformation isn’t marked by ribbon-cutting ceremonies or grand speeches. Instead, it’s happening behind the scenes, in consultation rooms, in data dashboards, and through the steady work of planners, health workers, and technologists. It’s the digitization of microplanning, and in Lagos State, it might just change everything.

At the heart of this shift is eHealth Africa (eHA), in partnership with the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board (LSPHCB) and UNICEF. In May 2025, the organizations came together for an inception meeting that laid the groundwork for this bold new chapter: using technology to digitize and strengthen microplanning for primary health care (PHC) delivery.

Why does this matter? Because microplanning is the lifeblood of effective PHC. It’s how local governments decide where to send health workers, how many vaccines to procure, which communities need more outreach, and what gaps remain in the system. Done well, microplanning ensures no one is left behind. Done poorly or manually, it opens the door to inefficiencies, missed targets, and avoidable disease outbreaks.

Today, Lagos has a growing population of over 21 million people, many of whom rely on the public health system for essential services—from immunization and maternal care to malaria prevention and nutrition programs. With such scale comes complexity. Lagos is not a place where a one-size-fits-all health strategy works. Different local government areas (LGAs) have vastly different needs. Communities in riverine areas face completely different access issues than those in dense urban districts. Microplanning allows for nuance. And digitizing that process? That allows for real-time decision-making.

*A group picture of eHealth Africa team and Lagos State Primary Health Care Board team members.*

Through the Planfeld platform—developed by eHealth Africa—Lagos is now exploring how digital tools can simplify the entire microplanning process. Planfeld is a dynamic, user-friendly system designed to support data collection, service mapping, and planning workflows at the local level. It reduces the paperwork, centralizes information, and makes updates accessible across teams. With this tool, LGA health planners can visualize health service gaps, allocate resources more efficiently, and track implementation progress without relying on outdated Excel sheets or handwritten registers.

More importantly, it gives health workers and managers access to data they can trust. Imagine a scenario where a health facility can quickly identify which community was missed during the last vaccination round. Or a logistics team that can plan distribution routes based on real-time facility readiness. That’s not just efficient—it’s life-saving.

The inception meeting between eHA, LSPHCB, and UNICEF was more than a formality. It was a deliberate step toward co-designing solutions that work for the people who use them. Frontline workers, program managers, and system architects came together to share their realities and chart a path forward. This collaborative approach ensures that the digital tools being developed are not imposed, but integrated into workflows in a way that feels natural and sustainable.

This transformation also sends a powerful message: that digital health isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. As climate change, urbanization, and population growth continue to stretch public health systems, the only way to deliver quality care at scale is to equip decision-makers with timely, granular, and actionable data.

And that’s precisely where Planfeld shines. The platform doesn’t just digitize planning; it democratizes it. It empowers health workers with the information they need to advocate for their communities. It brings transparency to decision-making. And it gives Lagos—a mega city with mega challenges—a real shot at responsive, resilient, and equitable health care.

For eHealth Africa, this is more than a project. It’s a reaffirmation of its core mission: to build stronger health systems through technology and collaboration. Supporting the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board is part of a broader strategy to show how locally developed solutions can create impact at state and national levels.

The road ahead will not be without challenges. Change requires buy-in, infrastructure, training, and continued support. But if the energy in the room during the inception meeting was anything to go by, Lagos is more than ready. Health systems work best when they are built with the people who rely on them. And with digital microplanning, Lagos is proving that the future of health isn’t just digital—it’s local, inclusive, and already within reach.

To learn more about planfeld, visit: https://planfeld.ehealthafrica.org/

No Missed Child, No Rejection of Vaccines”: A Traditional Leader’s Voice in Vaccine Advocacy

Posted on May 20, 2025May 21, 2025 by Moshood Isah

*eHealth Africa meets traditional leader in Gwandu, Kebbi state*

By Joyce Shinyi

“I once told vaccinators that if you find even one household that refuses vaccines in this community, I will give you $200. They went around and found none.”
– Alhaji Sani Umar Jabdi, District Head of Gagi and Sarkin Yakin Gagi, Sokoto State

In Gagi, a rural community in Sokoto State, Northern Nigeria, the fight against Circulating Variant Poliovirus and other vaccine-preventable diseases is being led not just from Primary Healthcare facilities, but also from the palaces of traditional leaders across the region.

Alhaji Sani Umar Jabdi is one of such leaders. Beyond settling community disputes, he has become a powerful advocate for immunization, championing vaccines as a means of protecting every child in his domain.

His commitment is part of the Engaging Traditional Institutions (ETI) project by eHealth Africa (eHA), in collaboration with the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development, Chigari Foundation, and other key partners. The intervention has strengthened advocacy by traditional leaders, increased community ownership of polio eradication efforts, and reduced vaccine hesitancy in high-risk Northern states.

“I am a community gatekeeper,” Alhaji Umar Jabdi said. “My role is to bridge the gap between the community and service providers, the community and the government, between the community and development partners. This time, immunization is the top priority.”

“I ensure we reach out to every eligible child, no missed child, no rejections, and ensure we reach 100% coverage in immunization.”

In a bid to build visible trust through their leadership, Umar Jabdi and other district heads publicly immunize their children during campaign flag-offs. This method has been modeled by even the highest level of traditional leadership, like the Sultan of Sokoto. Following the Sultan’s lead, all 87 district heads in Sokoto did the same.

According to Alhaji Umar, “The Sultan loves all our children, he believes in vaccines, he is 100% sure that it protects from paralysis and deadly diseases, and we trust him 100%, so when he brings his child forward, we follow.”

Just like other communities, this strategy has paid off in Gagi. Vaccine acceptance is high! Community members trust the process because their leaders are part of it. “I once told evaluators that if you find even one household that refuses vaccines in this community, I will give you $200. They went around and found none.” Umar Jabdi boasted.

Through Engaging Traditional Institutions, traditional leaders like him are not only using their influence to improve vaccine uptake and support stronger community health systems, but are also receiving continuous technical support. “Under the Engaging Traditional Institutions intervention led by the Sultan Foundation (with support from eHealth Africa), we are mentored, coached, and trained regularly,” he says. “They visit palace by palace to guide us, correct us, and strengthen our ability to promote vaccination the right way.”

The visible results are hard to ignore. “This is the cold season, but we’ve not seen a whooping cough, we no longer see measles in our community. Routine immunization is working, and children are safe.” he says.

He calls for more support from other stakeholders to further boost success. “If more partners can support this engagement, we can expand outreach. We can engage more religious leaders, more women, town halls, traditional media, and even social media. There are rumors online that we need help countering.”

He also believes the model should expand to other traditional rulers who have not yet received the same capacity building. “Many of my colleagues are intelligent and capable, they just need the training and the opportunity. If we are empowered, we can protect our people better.”

Above all, he insists that community ownership is key. “If you come to our health facility today, you will see the evidence: zero home deliveries, children with immunization cards. The people are involved because they trust us.”

“We are doing this,” he says firmly, “and we will continue doing it until we die. No paralyzed child, no disease that could have been prevented.”

The Engaging Traditional Institutions intervention is positioning traditional rulers not just as custodians of culture, but as protectors of health. By building on existing trust, it is laying the foundation for stronger, more resilient health systems across underserved communities. For eHealth Africa, this kind of transformation is the goal of the Engaging Traditional Institutions project, using trusted traditional institutions to drive change in underserved communities.

BISKIT: Bridging the Gap in Blood Information Management System

Posted on May 8, 2025May 8, 2025 by Moshood Isah

By – Fatima Abdulaziz Ayomitide

The persistent and critical blood shortage in Nigerian hospitals, as revealed by the National Blood Service Agency (NBSA) in December 2024, shows that Nigeria can only meet less than 30% of its blood transfusion needs. This severe deficit creates a life-threatening situation for patients and strains hospital resources, particularly during emergencies. The World Health Organization has also estimated that 1.5 million units of blood are needed annually to meet healthcare demands, yet only about 500,000 units are collected each year. This shortfall of nearly 67% has serious implications for patient care. Emergency cases often depend on last-minute donations, and in some instances, the available stock is either insufficient or compromised due to poor storage practices.

Underlying this crisis is a deeper issue of uncertainty. Donors, even those who regularly volunteer, are often left questioning where their blood goes, who it helps, and whether it makes the intended impact. This lack of transparency discourages participation, especially among first-time donors.

Evidence suggests that potential blood donors in African countries are more inclined to donate when they have a clearer understanding of how their contributions are utilized. Recognizing this desire for transparency and impact, a team of researchers and technologists began exploring how digital tools could build trust and improve the efficiency of the blood donation system.

Among them is Mohammed-Faosy Adeniran, the Project Manager for BISKIT, short for The Blood Information System for Crisis Intervention and Management (BISKIT), a mobile-based platform developed by eHealth Africa to address some of these critical gaps. “We realized the problem wasn’t a lack of willingness to donate but a disconnect between that willingness and actual blood requests. There were willing donors on one end, and urgent needs on the other, but no real-time system to link them.”

According to him, eHealth Africa is currently piloting the use of BISKIT at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano state. This is in a bid to standardize the digitization of blood information and management systems. During this implementation, the application allows users, donors, health workers, hospitals, and blood banks to manage and track blood donations from start to finish. Built with offline and mobile capabilities, BISKIT can function even in areas with limited internet access, ensuring wider reach and usability.

Halima Kabir Abdulkadir, a Research Assistant whose role involves performing cross-matching for patients, emphasized the complexity of managing donor and recipient data. “It contains a lot of information from the donors to the recipients. Having everything tracked in one system helps reduce errors and makes the process more efficient.”

For instance, when a health worker submits a request, nearby donors registered on the app are notified immediately. Through this direct and efficient channel, response times are reduced significantly.

Beyond logistics, the app also focuses on building trust. For donors, BISKIT offers a more transparent experience. They receive updates about their donations, pre-book appointments, and are guided through the donation process especially helpful for newcomers. “People just want to know their effort counts,” said Faosy. “The feedback we’ve received shows that donors are more encouraged to return when they can see the impact of their contribution.”

He added that the BISKIT application seeks to tackle structural issues like blood wastage. By integrating Geographic Information Systems and barcode tracking, BISKIT makes it easier to monitor the location and condition of blood bags, helping prevent mishandling or loss.

While still in its early stages of rollout, the platform has already shown promise. In pilot locations like Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano state, health workers report faster donor mobilization and fewer delays in emergency response.

Ultimately, BISKIT presents a compelling case for how technology can bridge gaps in public health systems, especially in contexts where trust, efficiency, and transparency are critical. Whether this model can scale across the country or even regionally remains to be seen. But for now, the app offers a practical solution to an urgent problem and a hopeful shift toward a more connected and accountable blood donation ecosystem.

Fatimah Azeez-Ayodele Ayomitide is a communications intern at eHealth Africa

How Free Medication from eHealth Africa Transformed Hafsat’s Life

Posted on May 1, 2025May 6, 2025 by Moshood Isah

By Moshood Isah

In Kano, Nigeria—where healthcare resources are often limited—Hafsat’s story stands as a powerful testament to hope and transformation, made possible through the free medication initiative under eHealth Africa’s ‘Digitizing for Impact: Improving Rural Access to Integrated Services for NCDs in Nigeria (DIIAN)’ intervention.

Struggling with hypertension and an ulcer for years, Hafsat’s health journey was full of frustration and uncertainty. Yet, after discovering the EHA REACH Clinic, a key partner in the DIIAN intervention offering free, targeted care, her life took a turn for the better.

*How Free Medication from the DIIAN Transformed Hafsat’s Life*

Hafsat had long battled high blood pressure, a condition that made daily life difficult. Along with the hypertension, she also suffered from an ulcer. Her first response was to visit multiple hospitals in search of relief. “I visited four hospitals in the community,” she recalled. “But the doctors would just tell me to avoid salty foods and prescribe medication, which didn’t seem to help much.” Despite these efforts, her condition continued to worsen, and the burden of managing her health became overwhelming.

Hafsat eventually sought alternative treatment at other hospitals, hoping for a clearer diagnosis and solution. However, her visits were met with confusion. “They told me my condition wasn’t clear, and I was referred to other hospitals. It felt like I was running in circles. Nothing seemed to work.”

In the midst of these frustrating experiences, Hafsat learned about the REACH Clinic, a local healthcare facility that was part of the DIIAN project and provided free medication for patients with chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes. “I live close to the clinic, so I knew about it. When I found out they were offering free medication, I decided to give it a try,” Hafsat explained.

The change was immediate. Upon her first visit to the REACH Clinic, Hafsat was welcomed by a team of professionals who immediately began managing her hypertension with the right medication. “The difference was so clear. At other hospitals, I was often told they didn’t have the medication I needed or I would get prescriptions that didn’t seem to work. But at the REACH Clinic, they gave me the proper treatment,” Hafsat said, her voice filled with relief.

Over time, Hafsat’s health improved significantly. The swelling in her body, a common symptom of her hypertension, began to subside. “The swelling stopped, and I felt much better,” she recalled. “Before, I was taking medicine that wasn’t effective, but the medication I received here really worked.”

For Hafsat, the experience of receiving free, reliable care has not only alleviated her physical symptoms but also restored her sense of hope. “Now, when I run out of medication, I don’t worry. I know I can come back and get more,” she said, smiling.

The impact of the DIIAN project, and particularly the REACH Clinic’s provision of free medication, has been profound for Hafsat. “I want others to know that they don’t have to suffer the way I did. I used to feel hopeless, but now I am doing well. I encourage anyone who has high blood pressure or diabetes to get treatment, it makes all the difference,” she urged.

Looking forward, Hafsat’s outlook on life has been transformed. “I may not have any major ambitions right now, but I just want to stay healthy and continue receiving the care that has helped me so much. I am grateful for everything the REACH Clinic has done for me,” she concluded.

For Hafsat, the free medication provided through the DIIAN project has been life-changing, offering her a new sense of wellbeing and hope. Her story highlights the crucial role of accessible healthcare in improving the lives of vulnerable individuals and underscores the importance of initiatives that support those in need.