Moshood Isah, Author at eHealth Africa

How eHealth Africa and Desert Sky Exploration Are Driving Local Innovation with NASA Space Apps Challenge

Posted on October 18, 2025October 18, 2025 by Moshood Isah

Moshood Isah

More than half of the world’s population growth between now and 2050 will take place in Africa, where 1.3-billion people are expected to be born by mid-century. This potential growth unfortunately doesn’t seem to match digital technological skills needed to ensure this growing population fulfills its potential.

The ‘Africa’s Tech Skills Scarcity Revealed‘ report found that a lack of skills is having a negative effect on the continent’s digital transformation efforts. Organizations from Africa in this vein have continued to make concerted effort to bridge these gaps. In northern Nigeria, eHealth Africa and Desert Sky Exploration are taking bold steps to provide platforms for young people through the NASA apps challenge.

As part of its commitment to driving digital innovation across Africa, eHealth Africa (eHA) continues to champion this initiative as a strategic platform for empowering local talent and strengthening the innovation ecosystem in Kano State and across Nigeria. For the third consecutive year, eHA has proudly supported the NASA Space Apps Challenge; Kano State Chapter, not only by providing a digitally equipped facility but also by engaging digital experts to serve as chief judges for the challenge.

The global innovation event is regarded as the world’s largest annual hackathon, bringing together problem-solvers, developers, designers, and storytellers to create open-source solutions that address some of Earth’s most pressing challenges.

Speaking on the partnership between eHealth Africa and Desert Sky Exploration for the NASA Space Apps Challenge, the Deputy Director of Global Health Informatics, Abdulhamid Yahaya, said that supporting the challenge is a strategic investment in the future of local innovation. He noted that the event provides a global platform for young developers, data scientists, and creatives in Kano to work with real NASA data, apply digital tools, and co-create solutions with global relevance.

He explained, “By supporting this initiative, eHA helps to foster a culture of innovation that encourages data-driven thinking and collaborative problem-solving — building digital skills among youth and equipping them for future opportunities in technology, health, and development.”

According to him, “This intervention bridges global and local knowledge ecosystems, bringing world-class opportunities to communities that are often left out of global conversations.”

He added, “Similarly, by connecting participants with mentors, government stakeholders, academia, and the private sector, eHealth Africa helps create an ecosystem that sustains innovation beyond a single event.”

In a similar vein, the Local Lead for Kano State, Abdul Gumel, said the NASA Space Apps Challenge is “beyond just a competition; it is a catalyst that gives young people the opportunity to collaborate and develop innovative solutions that can be transformed into real-time, problem-solving products.”

According to him, “eHealth Africa’s partnership remains instrumental, especially in areas such as climate change, health, and other technologically driven sectors.”

Participants are mainly young, enthusiastic individuals, students and budding innovators who are ready to take bold steps toward change. One such participant is Aliyu Usman Bello, a Pharmacy student at Bayero University, Kano. Concerned about the devastation caused by floods in communities such as Mubi, Adamawa State, Aliyu and his team decided to work on a weather prediction system that could forecast conditions in advance.

He said, “We’re trying to build something that will last for five, ten, even twenty years — something that helps us understand how the climate and environmental landscape will evolve in the coming years and enables people to prepare for those changes in advance.”

Aliyu is excited about the networking opportunities and the chance to collaborate on innovative ideas with his team members and colleagues from other groups.

On her part, Odika Ayomide, a chemical engineer, expressed her excitement at being able to use NASA’s Space Apps open data to solve real-world problems.

She explained, “Our project focuses on identifying waste accumulation hotspots, improving coordination between communities and waste management agencies, and implementing efficient waste pickup systems.”

According to her, the goal is to make waste management smarter and more sustainable — helping cities stay cleaner while promoting community engagement and data-driven decision-making.

Looking ahead, Abdulhamid Yahaya noted that there will be post-event incubation and mentorship opportunities to support winning and promising teams through technical guidance, access to data, and coaching to refine and deploy their solutions. He added, “There is also the potential to connect innovators with funding opportunities and collaborators who can help scale their ideas into operational projects.”

The NASA Space Apps Challenge represents more than just an event — it is a movement of thinkers, builders, and changemakers united by curiosity and creativity. For eHealth Africa, being part of this journey reflects its broader commitment to empowering communities through data, innovation, and technology. As eHA continues to champion this initiative, the organization reaffirms its belief that when innovation is inclusive, local, and purpose-driven, the possibilities are limitless.

Beyond Polio: Sustaining the Impact of Emergency Operations Centers Across Africa

Posted on October 17, 2025October 17, 2025 by Moshood Isah

By Moshood Isah

This year, the world commemorates another World Polio Day; a significant occasion first marked in 1988 when the World Health Assembly committed to eradicating the poliovirus. That commitment led to the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), underscoring the critical role of every stakeholder in public health in ensuring the virus is completely eradicated. One of the major interventions that has contributed to this fight, particularly across Africa, is the establishment of Polio Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) and Control Rooms.

This bold step, led by eHealth Africa (eHA) with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2020, sought to create centralized hubs that harness the strengths of multiple partners for coordinated responses; not only to polio but to wider public health emergencies. Over time, these hubs have expanded their mission, transforming how countries tackle broader vaccination challenges and strengthening ownership of routine immunization systems. The conversation on sustaining this impact came to the forefront at the recently concluded International Conference on Primary Health Care (ICPHC) held in Ethiopia.

eHealth Africa seized the opportunity to convene a powerful panel session to present findings from its Cross-Country Impact Study of Polio Outbreak Control Rooms (POCRs) in Sub-Saharan Africa. Moderated by Loveth Metiboba, Senior Manager for Impact Measurement at eHealth Africa, the session provided empirical insights from key partners and users of the POCR model across Cameroon, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Somalia, and Zambia. The study, conducted by Clones House and the Busara Center for Behavioral Economics, revealed significant impacts and proposed critical steps for ensuring sustainability across Africa.

Opening the session, Atef Fawaz, Executive Director of eHealth Africa—and notably the project manager who initiated the establishment of EOCs in Nigeria and across Africa, reflected on the journey. “We’ve seen these EOCs grow over time, increasing their impact and expanding their purpose. They initially supported emergency response for polio but later played key roles during outbreaks of Ebola, measles, Lassa fever, COVID-19, and many others,” he said. He emphasized that the EOCs ensure collaboration over isolation: “Instead of everyone working in silos, the EOC brings people together to collaborate, innovate, and act toward one goal;solving problems.”

Presenting the study’s findings, Onochie Mokwunye, Research Consultant with Clones House, explained that the establishment of POCRs has revolutionized how countries detect, coordinate, and respond to outbreaks. “We found that POCRs didn’t just strengthen systems; they strengthened relationships, bridging the gap between data, decision-making, and real-world response,” he said.

His co-researcher, Dr. Mohammed M. Alhaji added that the success of POCRs stems from their ability to “build capability, create opportunity, and inspire motivation; the three essential ingredients for sustained behavior change.” He stressed that “infrastructure alone doesn’t drive change; it’s the people, their motivation, and shared sense of mission that make the difference.”

Reinforcing the need to look beyond polio, Kazeem Balogun, Deputy Director for Supply Chain Management at eHealth Africa, said, “EOCs must now evolve beyond polio; becoming engines of health security that strengthen primary health care and prepare nations for whatever comes next. The Polio Outbreak Control Rooms proved that when governments lead and partners align, every response becomes faster, smarter, and more accountable.”

From Cameroon, Dr. Shalom Ndoula, Permanent Secretary of the Expanded Program on Immunization, shared that the POCR model reduced the detection-to-response time from 75 days to just 30, thanks to structured coordination, real-time data use, and decentralized empowerment. A similar story came from Zambia, where Princess Lynettie Kayeye, a Coordinator at the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) noted that “what started as a polio response tool has now strengthened our entire health system, introducing innovations like digital microplanning used across all ten provinces.”

In Mozambique, Benilde Conceição Salvador, Coordinator of the Public Health Emergency Operations Center in Tete, recalled how health coordination meetings once held in hotel rooms have been transformed. “Through the POCR, we’ve not only improved outbreak response but also used innovation to identify and vaccinate under-immunized children in our districts,” she said.

Somalia’s experience reflected resilience and renewal. Hassan Mohamed Ali, Director of Operations at the Somali National Health Professionals Council, explained, “Building seven EOCs across Somalia wasn’t just about infrastructure—it was about creating a foundation for resilience in one of the most fragile contexts in the world.”

Ultimately, beyond polio lies a broader story, one of collaboration, resilience, and shared systems that safeguard communities before crises strike. Preparedness, as this session highlighted, is not built in moments of crisis but in moments of coordination, learning, and trust. That is what truly makes health systems resilient.

5 Lessons UNGA80 Taught Us About African-Led Innovation

Posted on October 13, 2025October 13, 2025 by Moshood Isah

By Azeez-Ayodele Fatimah Ayotemitide

For decades, conversations about Africa’s development have centered on aid. At UNGA80, that narrative shifted. eHealth Africa, alongside Population Services International (PSI), the Population Council, and Reach Digital Health, came together to reframe how the world sees Africa — not as a beneficiary, but as a builder. Their shared conviction was clear: the time for Africa to lead, design, and define its own development trajectory is now.

These organizations co-hosted the side event “African-led Innovation: Shaping Sustainable Futures With or Without Aid” at UNGA80 to turn that conviction into dialogue and action. The event brought together ministers, health leaders, researchers, and community innovators – both in New York, across Africa, and online – not to speculate about Africa’s potential, but to spotlight solutions already transforming lives. The call to action was clear: stop talking about Africa’s future. Start listening to how Africans are building it right now.

“Some African governments are beginning to prioritize innovation, especially in health technology. We are seeing increased funding and commitment, which is both encouraging and proof that this works,” shared Atef Fawaz, Executive Director of eHealth Africa, setting a strong context for this bold conversation.

He added, “We believe that Africa will be among the top 10–20 emerging markets in the next two decades. This is the place to be. My message to the younger generation is: look into Africa, invest in Africa — whether in health projects or tech. There is so much potential and talent here, and that’s what we are pushing forward.”

Ota Akigbe, Director of Programs at eHealth Africa, grounded this vision in practice: “Sustainability means creating systems where aid is helpful but not essential, and where communities and governments have the right skills, the right structures, and the right ownership to carry on by themselves.”

From these conversations, five clear lessons emerged:

1. “Africa does not wait.” Innovation is already here.

One of the most resonant moments came from Hon. Chernor Bah, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Civic Education, who opened the session with a truth that set the tone: “Africa does not wait.” He wasn’t speaking metaphorically. Across the continent, communities are deploying solar-powered clinics, building local data platforms, and designing digital health tools that respond to real needs with or without external funding. This isn’t a plea for help. It’s proof that African innovation is operational, not aspirational.

2. Technology must solve real problems, not just look impressive.

Michael Holscher, President of PSI, cut through the tech hype with a grounded reminder: “Technology only works if it solves real problems for real people.” An app, a drone delivery system, or a new financing model only matters if it fits into the daily lives of women, youth, and underserved communities. Otherwise, it’s just noise. As our partners at Reach Digital Health emphasized during UNGA, we must build services people love, not just systems they tolerate.

3. Scaling requires partnership and redefined financing

True scale doesn’t come from isolated pilots or donor-driven agendas. It emerges when governments, civil society, the private sector, and communities co-own solutions – and when funding flows in ways that respect African leadership, not dictate it.

Co-President of the Population Council, James Sailer, made a compelling case, saying, “No one is doing this alone. When financing, trust, and accountability align, ideas stop being ‘cool pilots’ and start becoming national systems.” The collaboration between eHealth Africa and other key stakeholders is not a coincidence, nor is it mere convenience, but an intentional alignment.

4. Data is Africa’s sovereign resource.

Ota Akigbe, Director of Programs at eHealth Africa, also highlighted the critical role of inclusion and local agency: “When community voices are included from the start, solutions take root – and they last a lot longer.” This begins with data. In practice, this means co-designing tools like geospatial maps or vaccine delivery systems with communities, not just for them, so the data reflects real needs, builds trust, and earns government buy-in.

When African institutions generate, own, and act on their own data, they stop borrowing metrics from abroad and start writing their own progress reports. That’s how you shift from dependency to self-determination.

5. Sovereignty isn’t a buzzword. It’s the foundation of resilience.

Manasseh Gihana Wandera, Executive Director of Society for Family Health Rwanda, put it plainly: “Sovereignty is the backbone of resilient health systems.” When African nations design, fund, and scale their own solutions, no external actor can pull the plug. Aid may come and go, but locally rooted systems endure.
These are not stories of charity. They are stories of resilience and ownership. That’s the real takeaway from UNGA80: Africa’s future isn’t being handed down from somewhere else. It’s being built – brick by brick, byte by byte – by Africans themselves. This is because the future isn’t waiting – and neither is Africa.

From Pears and Apples to Purpose: The Shared Journey of an Internship Cohort at eHealth Africa

Posted on October 3, 2025October 13, 2025 by Moshood Isah

Azeez-Ayodele Fatimah Ayotemitide

I have a confession: I came to eHealth Africa for the free pears and apples. It’s an honest truth I’ll carry with me.

At my very first eHealth Africa program, I noticed the perks and thought, “Well, that’s a nice little bonus.” But when the internship application opened a few months later, it presented itself as more than just a place with healthy snacks; it was a chance to practice my craft of visual storytelling, learn, and grow.

We are often taught that an internship is a brief foray into the professional world, a structured stepping stone where you mostly observe and assist. The reality of this internship, however, has been different. It has been a full-immersion experience that challenges the very notion of what building a career entails. Every project became a lesson in nuance, every challenge an opportunity to grow, and each of us has a story to tell. We came in as individuals, but we stand as a cohort, carrying forward the lessons that will define our professional journeys.

The Storytellers

My journey as a videographer quickly expanded as I was pushed to embody a communications professional. I learned that storytelling goes far beyond the lens, extending into the very essence of a project’s life and impact. With the Post Distribution Monitoring project (PDM), I wasn’t physically on the ground, but I lived the experience through my screen, watching the interviews and feeling the struggles of the enumerators. With SARMAAN (Safety and antimicrobial resistance of mass administration of azithromycin among children aged 1–11 months in Nigeria), I had the privilege of seeing the lives of the data collectors and partners unfold, both in the field and through the screen, learning to relay the impact in words and visuals that the world could see and understand. This is a story of living the mission firsthand, and I know it is a sentiment shared by my peers.

The Developers

For Abba Daniel, now an Associate, Software Developer with eHealth Africa, the program was a direct pipeline from learning to impact. He started out simply as an attendee of the eHA Academy, but his passion and drive led him to this internship and onward into a full-fledged role. “The reality has been even better than I imagined,” he said, “I have actually been given the chance to work on meaningful tasks, collaborate with a supportive team, and contribute directly to real projects.” Abba’s journey does not end as a developer, he is also a mentor to the next cohort of the Academy, proving that the best way to learn is to teach.

The Detail-Oriented

For Abduljalal Usman, our Finance Intern, stepping into the Finance team came with surprises he hadn’t anticipated. The level of responsibility and trust placed in him went beyond his expectations. “I had the chance to work on meaningful tasks that contributed to ongoing projects rather than just observing from the sidelines.” He faced the challenge of handling complex and complicated financial documents, but with the support of his team, he learned to carefully review details and communicate for clarification, solidifying the crucial skill of attention to detail and accountability.

The Organizers

According to Hanifa Shuaib, our Program Delivery Intern, the program taught her that “meaningful impact often comes from teamwork and small, consistent contributions that add up to real change.” She actively participated in projects like SARMAAN II, supporting coordination and documentation. Hanifa credits her supervisors for helping her overcome the challenge of juggling multiple tasks by teaching her to prioritize and communicate her needs early.

A Shared Valuable Conclusion

This internship has been nothing short of transformative. We learned that public health and technology are not just concepts but living systems, rooted in people, stories, and innovation.

For me, the greatest lesson was learning to listen to learn, not just to reply – value woven into the culture of eHealth Africa. Here, everyone matters, and standing still means falling behind. You must grow!

This is the true return on investment. Not just for us as interns, but for eHealth Africa and its partners. This journey turned us from learners into doers, ready to contribute to a healthier, more connected Africa.

And to think, for me, it all started with free pears and apples.

Azeez-Ayodele Fatimah is a Communications Intern with eHealth Africa

Why African-led Innovation Matters Now More Than Ever

Posted on September 19, 2025September 19, 2025 by Moshood Isah

By Atef Fawaz

The year 2025 has been a watershed year for global development. Aid is shrinking. United States assistance has all but disappeared. Public debt is choking governments’ ability to fund health, education, and basic services. The old model that was aid dependent, externally dictated, and reactive was never truly sustainable.

The truth is, Africa has been carrying itself for decades. Governments, innovators, and communities have turned scarcity into ingenuity and built solutions that work. Mobile banking transformed financial inclusion. Women led enterprises are reshaping access to clean energy and education. And in health, data driven systems have strengthened outbreak response and saved lives.

At eHealth Africa, we see this up close. Solarized primary health centers keep vaccines cold in places far beyond the grid. We are designing and scaling Digital solutions, Emergency Operation Centers and Laboratory Systems hand in hand with African governments to catch outbreaks before they spread. And when Ebola and COVID-19 hit, it was African expertise, not external rescue, that made the difference. These are not stories of charity. They are stories of resilience and ownership.

This moment is not a crisis of aid. It is an inflection point for sovereignty. Africa’s future cannot be defined in Washington or Brussels. It is already being written in Lagos, Kigali, Dakar, Johannesburg, and Abuja.

That conviction drove us to convene the Insights Learning Forum 2025 in Abuja under the theme “Local Investments for Connected Communities: The Power of Digital Health Networks in Public Health Transformation.” Leaders across government, business, and civil society sent a clear message: transformation will only last if local investment fuels innovation and if communities shape the tools built for them.

At ILF 2025, we called for governments to budget for digital health, for innovators to design with their own communities, and for the private sector and donors to commit for the long haul. As my colleague Ota Akhigbe put it: “Transformation does not begin with flashy tools or external funding. Transformation begins with local commitment.”

Now, at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), we are carrying this message forward. Alongside Population Service International (PSI), Population Council, and Reach Digital Health, we are convening a dialogue on African-led Innovation: Shaping Sustainable Futures With or Without Aid. This is because the question is not whether Africa can innovate. It is whether global partners are ready to recognize, invest in, and scale what is already working.

That means:

Private sector: build technologies with African businesses and governments that solve real problems in health, education, and agriculture.
Philanthropy: move from fragmented short term grants to long term, flexible investments that back African leadership.
Governments: explore new financing models from dedicated health levies to social impact bonds that secure sovereignty and sustainability.
Civil society and NGOs: pool resources and adopt adaptive models to keep impact alive even as budgets shrink.

ILF 2025 showed us the urgency. UNGA is our chance to make sure the world not only listens, but acts,because the future will not be given to us. It will be built by us.

About Atef Fawaz:

Atef Fawaz is the Executive Director of eHealth Africa. He is a complex operations management and ICT expert with experience in humanitarian response and digital health.

5 Big Lessons from Insights Learning Forum 2025

Posted on August 14, 2025August 15, 2025 by Moshood Isah

Moshood Isah

In 2024, the digital health industry attracted $10.1 billion in venture capital funding, a slight dip from $10.8 billion in 2023, yet still above the total raised in 2019. According to Rock Health’s latest Digital Health Funding Report, startups secured $1.8 billion in venture funding across 118 deals in Q4 2024 alone.

Yet behind these big numbers lie smaller, more urgent stories like local clinics still running on paper, communities without reliable internet, and health workers who have never touched a digital dashboard. In many places, digital solutions remain dependent on external funding, raising hard questions about how long they can last.

These realities and more shaped the discussions at the just-concluded Insights Learning Forum (ILF), where industry leaders, government officials, private sector stakeholders, and innovators gathered to discuss these challenges. From the robust conversations, here are my Top 5 Lessons from ILF 2025:

1- Local Investment in Digital Health is Key to Sustainable Health Outcomes

*Ota Akhigbe giving an opening remark during ILF 2025*

ILF put a spotlight on a critical challenge: the over-dependence on external funding for digital health interventions. In Nigeria, for example, up to 70% of digital health funding comes from external sources, while sustainable local funding streams remain scarce. This gap often leads to fragmented care, underutilized platforms, and persistent challenges in addressing local public health needs.

Ota Akhigbe, Director of Partnerships and Programs at eHealth Africa, framed the issue clearly: “Transformation does not begin with flashy tools or external funding but with local commitment and communities choosing to own their health future and backing that choice with investment.”

She stressed that investment is not just financial; it also means leadership, trust, and long-term commitment. Her call to action was clear: governments must integrate digital health into annual plans and budgets, adding: “Digital health is no longer a theory; it’s happening now”, she noted. We have platforms tracking vaccine delivery, flagging outbreaks, linking clinics to specialists, and delivering test results. The time has come to ensure these systems last.”

2- Digital Solutions Must Match Local Realities and National Priorities

A recurring message from ILF was that digital health initiatives often fail to endure because they are not designed for the communities we serve. Without alignment to local contexts and national strategies, even well-funded projects risk becoming irrelevant.

Mories Atoki, CEO of African Business Coalition (ABC) Health, urged a shift in approach: “Let’s talk about what we want. Let’s speak up. Let’s help the public and private sectors understand how to work together. Let’s support innovation and knowledge sharing. We must collaborate more and align stakeholders with national priorities.” The forum reinforced the need to scale digital solutions responsibly and in alignment with community needs.

3- Collaboration : Teamwork Makes the Health Work

ILF’s journey from a modest monthly webinar to a flagship industry event demonstrates the power of partnership. As Atef Fawaz, Executive Director of eHealth Africa, noted: “ILF began as a simple webinar, and today, it’s grown through the strong commitment of our partners. We look forward to even greater collaboration aligned with government policies and national priorities.”

Dr. Gafar Alawode, CEO of Development Governance International (DGI Consult), echoed this sentiment: “We must adopt a multisectoral approach to digital health—where the government leads and the private sector supports—to build systems that truly serve the people. Digital optimization means delivering the right solution at the right place and time; a goal only possible through strong cross-sector partnerships.”

4 — State Must Rise to Challenge of Health in Fund and Leadership

Sustainable digital health requires more than donor grants, it demands decisive government leadership. Dr. Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, National Coordinator of the Sector-Wide Coordinating Office-Programme Management Unit (SCO-PMU) for the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), emphasized this point saying, “The government has made digital health a key part of its unified health plan. We also have stakeholders present today who are dedicated to developing country-owned, locally led solutions that leverage innovation in both service delivery and health technology.” He noted that ongoing digital health discussions should build consensus and integrate the many fragmented initiatives currently operating in the country.

5- Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) Need Funding and Reforms

Gaps in sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) persist due to chronic underfunding, policy gaps, and cultural barriers. During a panel on “The Role of Digital Tools and Innovative Financing Models in Expanding Access to Sexual Reproductive Health Rights”, Charles Usie, Country Director at Plan International Nigeria, highlighted the imbalance: “We are dealing with an issue of unequal power. Women and girls do not have the same authority men enjoy. That’s why we have more condoms than sanitary pads because of who makes the decisions.” Panelists urged the government to prioritize tackling maternal mortality, teenage pregnancy, and gender-based violence, while also leveraging digital tools to improve access to reproductive health services.

A Call to Action

The Insights Learning Forum 2025 made it clear: sustainable digital health is not about technology alone, it’s about people, policy, and partnerships. From mobilizing local investment to designing context-specific solutions, from strengthening cross-sector collaboration to prioritizing women’s health, the path forward demands shared ownership. As participants agreed, digital health must move beyond pilot projects to become a resilient, integrated, and locally driven system, one that can stand the test of time.

How Digital Networks Are Reshaping Healthcare in Africa

Posted on July 28, 2025July 29, 2025 by Moshood Isah

Abdulhamid Yahaya

The recent and recurring outbreaks of diseases and other public health emergencies have undeniably strained healthcare systems, particularly across Africa. These challenges have not only necessitated thinking beyond traditional approaches but have also prompted the development of innovative pathways to ensure communities are better prepared and less vulnerable to such emergencies.

It is essential to note that digital networks are not only supporting healthcare delivery in Africa, but they are also fundamentally reshaping how public health interventions are conceived, designed, and implemented. It is no surprise that the African digital health market was valued at approximately US$3.8 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach US$16.6 billion by 2030. Indeed, these are not just figures; they represent real lives and communities being impacted and transformed by digital networks.

Increasing the adoption of digital health tools could lead to at least a 15% improvement in efficiency by 2030. This marks significant progress, even amid ongoing challenges such as digital inequity, limited local investments, and infrastructure gaps. Nevertheless, public health stakeholders continue to play their roles to ensure that even primary healthcare facilities in the remotest locations are being reached by the digital revolution currently reshaping the health sector.

This digital transformation has significantly improved access to healthcare through telemedicine and virtual consultations, reducing the risks associated with long travel distances and delays in reaching healthcare facilities. Beyond improving access, healthcare facilities themselves are receiving substantial boosts, especially in the areas of drug supply, vaccines, and essential goods. For instance, digital solutions like the Logistics Management Information System (LoMIS), deployed by eHealth Africa, have ensured the timely delivery of essential medicines and reduced stockouts. The deployment of this solution for vaccine distribution across over 300 Primary Healthcare facilities in Sokoto State has proven to be a game-changer.

In addition, digital medical records and health dashboards have significantly streamlined data management, enabling more efficient handling of patient information. This allows healthcare professionals to focus more on delivering quality care rather than being burdened by administrative tasks, while also enhancing clinical decision-making through real-time access to accurate data.

The digital health landscape has undeniably evolved into an interconnected web of systems that overcome geographical and socioeconomic barriers. By bringing care closer to underserved populations, it is transforming healthcare access for marginalized communities. A prime example is the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which have been instrumental in mapping and identifying missed or hard-to-reach settlements. Over the years, this technology has played a crucial role in ensuring that children, regardless of location, receive life-saving vaccines, significantly improving immunization coverage in remote areas.

While technology and innovation are well recognized as enablers and indeed, key drivers of growth across sectors, their impact in health can only be sustained if solution developers, partners, and implementers fully understand and engage with local cultural, social, and regulatory contexts. Only then can digital health solutions be tailored to meet ground realities and deliver meaningful, lasting impact.

Over the last three years, eHealth Africa has consistently convened industry experts to drive discussions and chart pathways for digital health, data-driven solutions, and innovations in public health practice. The event, tagged Insights Learning Forum (ILF), has served as a platform for professionals in both the digital and public health sectors to share their experiences, insights, and innovative solutions.

A key takeaway from digital health discussions has been the need to ensure that solutions are community-driven and developed with local realities in mind. This insight informs the theme of the 2025 Insights Learning Forum:
“Local Investments for Connected Communities: The Power of Digital Health Networks in Public Health Transformation.” The third edition of ILF, scheduled for 30th July 2025, will go beyond rhetoric, focusing on implementing strategies to ensure that communities remain at the heart of digital health interventions.

Abdulhamid Yahaya is the Deputy Director, Global Health Informatics at eHealth Africa. He has over 20 years of extensive expertise and experience in Information Technology (IT) operations, IT management, corporate policy and governance, information/cybersecurity, IT project deployment, health informatics, digital health solutions, corporate strategy, and strategic leadership.

Data Accountability – a road map to building Connected Communities

Posted on July 24, 2025July 24, 2025 by Moshood Isah

By Dr. David Akpan

It may interest you to know that the community leaders in our village, the caregiver in a remote hamlet, and the primary healthcare providers serving in our primary healthcare facility are all essential to the success of achieving universal health coverage with digital health at the central connecting point. The same goes for government actors and stakeholders across every level of the public health system making valuable inputs in creating the enabling environment to improve local coordinated efforts to deliver ease to access integrated health care. The possibility lies with building a connected community where everyone is not left behind. This confirms the power of the digital data system.

Remember the days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when healthcare systems across the globe were stretched to their limits? During that period, there was an urgent and coordinated effort to test individuals exposed to the virus, contain its spread, and provide timely care. In Nigeria, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Health played pivotal roles, delivering daily updates on the prevalence of the virus across various states. At this moment, communities were connected, enforced and energised to respond to one health need. This confirms that a connected community is possible and the target to achieve UHC relies squarely on this.

We have seen where pilot data-driven innovations significantly informed by the deployment of digital solutions for contact tracing, testing coordination, and public awareness campaigns has significantly connected communities to demanding for health services Critically, the success of these efforts hinged on the mutual cooperation of communities, individuals, patients, and development partners, demonstrating the power of collective action enabled by transparent and accessible data.

We are moving from the days when innovators relied on general assumptions about community needs and expectations based on mere observations of behavior. Today, successful innovation requires in-depth engagement with key stakeholders to gather accurate and timely information. Interestingly, data sharing swings both ways between the underserved communities and development partners.

Before diving into the development of digital health solutions, data provides important insights into trends, patterns, and critical concerns that need to be addressed. Therefore, local investment both in terms of time, financing, and data accountability remains crucial to ensuring that development partners and governments at various levels prioritize meaningful resource allocation. Thus, investing time and resources in gathering meaningful local data lays the foundation for more effective, inclusive, and sustainable digital health solutions.

Beyond the numbers, connecting communities through accurate and timely data stems largely from creating mutual relationships between the communities, its people and information they can make meaning from.

It is however important to mention that while data offer tremendous potential to create value by improving programs and policies, the misuse of it can lead to abuse which can harm citizens. Data is a resource that can be used and reused repeatedly to create more and more value, but the more data is misused, the higher is the risk of misinterpretation.

As mentioned in a 2021 World Bank report, the deployment of data system is growing at an unprecedented rate and is becoming an integral part of daily life for people around the world. However, there are critical questions we must ask: how can millions of people living in extreme poverty and poor health conditions make sense of and connect to this ubiquitous data? More importantly, how can communities understand and harness the use of data to improve their lives? As we pursue these goals, we must also ensure that low- and middle-income countries are not left behind, which would only widen the gap between those who benefit from this new data-driven world and those who do not.

In this vein, the localization and visibility of data increases the likelihood of communities to connect and relate with each other while understanding what binds them together. In order to achieve this, digital literacy gaps must be bridged via direct engagement of community gatekeepers, Community Based Organisations and other stakeholders within the community.

That’s why the 2025 Insights Learning Forum comes at such a critical and opportune moment. With the theme “Local Investment for Connected Communities: The Power of Digital Health Networks in Public Health Transformation,” this year’s Forum will serve as a vibrant platform for dialogue, collaboration, and strategic action. Taking place on July 30, 2025, it will convene policymakers, innovators, development partners, and investors around a shared conviction: Africa’s digital health transformation must be driven by local leadership.

During the forum, which will convene policymakers, innovators, development partners, and investors, I will be moderating a session on investing in health and underserved communities. This powerful panel discussion will provide a platform for multi-sector dialogue on building a thriving, locally driven digital health ecosystem through investment and partnerships.

Building a connected community using accurate and timely data isn’t just about making data-driven decisions but also about fostering engagement and building a digital equitable community. It also goes a long way in enhancing collaborations across various sectors, communities and development partners thereby ensuring faster response to public health emergencies as a result of transparency and trust.

Dr. David Akpan, Deputy Director Programs and Partnership (DDPP) eHealth Africa. Dr. David Akpan is an experienced social epidemiologist and development expert with 18 years of experience in public health programs and development assistance.

How emergency operations centres are boosting public health response

Posted on July 7, 2025September 7, 2025 by Moshood Isah

By Moshood Isah

When there is a public health emergency, like a disease outbreak or a pandemic, the speed at which public health stakeholders respond can make a big difference. It can either stop things from escalating or help bring the situation under control quickly. One of the biggest challenges in such scenarios is timely coordination among key stakeholders capable of responding to the emergency.

Without a central place for everyone to meet, share information, and make quick decisions, efforts can easily become scattered. This leads to duplication, wasted resources, and missed opportunities. In a crisis, that can cost lives. What’s needed is a strong system that helps governments and partners work hand in hand, swiftly and strategically.

Since the establishment of Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) in 11 states across Nigeria, led by eHealth Africa with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the story is beginning to change. States are now better equipped to respond swiftly, coordinate effectively, and save more lives during public health emergencies.

The commissioner of primary healthcare in Niger state, Ibrahim Ahmed Dangana, confirmed this when he described the EOC as a critical pillar in the state’s public health emergency preparedness and response. Since its establishment, the EOC has successfully connected all 25 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in real time, enabling virtual meetings, streamlined data reporting, and rapid response to health emergencies, including childhood killer diseases like cholera and meningitis outbreaks.

“Before this center, transporting health workers for meetings was costly and inefficient. Now, we can convene hybrid sessions, access real-time data, and make quick, informed decisions,” he explained.

Echoing this sentiment, Fatima Ibrahim, the incident manager of the Niger State EOC, emphasised that public health is not a one-person job. She noted that the EOC’s coordinating power has made it possible to identify and leverage the unique strengths of each stakeholder, leading to more effective and unified emergency responses.

Citing a key example, Fatima shared, “During campaigns, with support from our data team at the EOC, we receive real-time analysis showing areas with high and low vaccination coverage.” According to her, this timely data enables swift action by mobilizing teams to reach underserved areas. “For instance, we identified Mashegu as a zero-dose LGA. With data from the EOC, we were able to track ongoing efforts, spot critical gaps, and bring all partners together to plan and respond collectively,” she explained.

Key public health partners have also hailed the immense impact of the EOC and the value it adds to their interventions. According to Samuel Okolo, the Niger state lead for Sydani Group, partners are now able to coordinate and collaborate with traditional leaders for effective community mobilization, monitoring, and response.

Highlighting the power of collaboration, he shared a memorable example: “Following a partners’ meeting at the EOC, we received word that the Emir of Kagara (an LGA in Niger State) wanted to meet with the team. Fortunately, everyone was still at the center. The Incident Manager quickly mobilized the group, and we met with the Emir.” Meeting stakeholders in full capacity, the Emir not only expressed his commitment to addressing vaccine non-compliance but also pledged to visit the EOC in person—a powerful gesture of support for strengthening immunization coverage in the state.

It is especially encouraging to hear the Commissioner of Primary Healthcare in Niger State reaffirm the state’s commitment to EOC sustainability. “This initiative may have started with donor support, but sustainability is already built in. The state has fully embraced it, with budgetary provisions and strong political will to maintain and expand the facility,” he said.

The impact of Emergency Operations Centers speaks volumes about what’s possible when strategic investment meets local leadership and innovation. These centers are lifelines in moments of crisis, enhancing coordination and rapid response. As we look toward a future filled with increasingly complex public health challenges, continued support from partners and donors will be vital to scale this impact and protect more lives.

Moshood Isah is a communications coordinator at eHealth Africa

Digital Health Needs Local Investment to Thrive

Posted on July 7, 2025July 7, 2025 by Moshood Isah

Ota Akhigbe

It’s exciting to see how digital tools can be tailored to meet the unique health needs of communities across Africa. But this promise will only become reality if these tools are designed to fit the local context, and backed by sustained, long-term investment.

Critically, local investment in digital health goes beyond only financial commitments. It means investing in infrastructure, cultural understanding, and, perhaps most importantly, human capacity. These dimensions are essential to building ownership and, ultimately, ensuring sustainability. Without them, we’ll continue to witness multi-million-dollar digital health projects struggling to meet the needs of underserved populations.

Saadatu Atiku, 30 a house to house mobilizer shows off the GIS tracking app on her phone which she uses to track the areas she has covered in Yabo LGA, Sokoto state
December 10, 2023 — *Saadatu Atiku, 30 a house to house mobilizer shows off the GIS tracking app on her phone which she uses to track the areas she has covered in Yabo LGA, Sokoto state*

Why Digital Solutions Struggle to Scale

Too often, digital health interventions are designed without the direct input of end users, or they’re created for broad global application. This disconnect limits their real-world impact and stifles both scale and sustainability.

In places where infrastructure is weak, digital literacy is low, and cultural dynamics are misunderstood or ignored, even the most sophisticated tools will fall short. Moreover, when local communities lack the financial means, or a seat at the design table, they understandably hesitate to take ownership. That lack of buy-in has consequences; interventions become short-lived, donor-dependent, and disconnected from local priorities.

As someone working at the intersection of health systems and innovation, I’ve seen firsthand how solutions thrive when they are rooted in the lived realities of the people they aim to serve. This is why we must go beyond pilot programs and start investing in the full ecosystem that supports digital health, technical infrastructure, skilled local talent, and policy environments that encourage innovation and accountability.

The Case for Local Investment

In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the success of digital health isn’t simply about access to tools, it’s about the intent and structure of the systems supporting them. When governments, donors, and private actors prioritize local funding and ownership, digital solutions become more relevant, adaptable, and impactful.

Local investment also fuels homegrown innovation. It supports research tailored to real community needs, and it helps bridge the persistent digital divide. When communities have reliable internet, basic infrastructure, and trained personnel, the effects are far-reaching; not only does healthcare improve, but economic opportunities expand and public trust deepens.

Data generated through these investments can also empower governments to make better decisions, designing evidence-based policies that reflect the realities on the ground, not assumptions from afar.

A Timely Call to Action

This is why the 2025 Insights Learning Forum could not be more timely, or more necessary.

Under the theme “Local Investment for Connected Communities: The Power of Digital Health Networks in Public Health Transformation,” this year’s ILF will provide a dynamic platform for collaboration, discussion, and action. Scheduled for July 30, 2025, the Forum will bring together policymakers, innovators, development partners, and investors to align around one core truth: that Africa’s digital health revolution must be locally led.

Since its launch in 2023, ILF has grown into a space where real solutions are shared, strategic partnerships are formed, and bold ideas are transformed into tangible outcomes. This year, it promises to be even more impactful, with case studies, keynotes, and workshops spotlighting how local talent, funding, and infrastructure are already reshaping health systems across the continent.

At eHealth Africa, we believe in solutions that scale, and we know they only do so when local communities lead the way. ILF 2025 is more than just another conference. It’s where vision meets action. We invite all stakeholders, governments, donors, innovators, and community leaders, to join us in shaping a digital health ecosystem that puts local investment at the heart of transformation.

Ota Akhigbe is the Director of Partnerships and Programmes at eHealth Africa. She writes at the intersection of health, equity, and systems innovation. Her weekly BusinessDay column explores practical paths for inclusive development and structural transformation in Africa.