Moshood Isah, Author at eHealth Africa

Inter-Connecting Digital Solutions and Adolescent Behavioral Change at GDHF 2025

Posted on November 25, 2025November 25, 2025 by Moshood Isah

In the coming days, I will be attending the Global Digital Health Forum (GDHF) in Nairobi, Kenya. Exploring the lineup of activities ahead of the global public health event further widened my horizon on the networking and collaborative opportunities up for grabs. With at least 792 abstract proposals received from over 450 organizations worldwide, the GDHF provides opportunities not just to spotlight key public health issues but to build strong collaborations that scale impact.

While looking forward to insightful and potentially impactful sessions across various facets of public health, I am fascinated about the interconnectivity of digital health solutions and how it can spur social behavioral change amongst adolescents in Africa. This is because Africa, as a continent, hosts the youngest population below the age of 18, with over 40% of its population under 15, making it the youngest continent. UNICEF also corroborated this with its Generation 2030 Africa report, revealing that projections show that by 2050, the continent will account for 42 percent of all global births and almost 40 percent of all children under 18.

This informs eHealth Africa’s Breakfast Salon Session at the upcoming GDHF titled, “Digital Interfaces That Influence Health Behaviour Among Adolescents in Kenya and Beyond.” This provides an opportunity to advance conversation and take bold steps on the equitable utilization of digital interfaces for health behavior change and referral to services among underserved communities in Kenya and beyond. This dynamic session will include a youth-led segment where young people share their views, a live demo of the product from our partners, and an informal fireside chat with leaders in the field.

The conversion will no doubt spur action and behavioral change amongst adolescents. Indeed, it is pertinent to reach these demographics effectively in the right digital spaces. eHealth Africa, for instance, developed a digital tool based on the World Health Organization’s Checklists to Assess Vulnerabilities in health care facilities in the context of climate change. The tool, Climate Health Vulnerability Assessment Tool (CHAT), is currently being used to assess and strengthen the climate resilience of healthcare facilities in Nigeria. Beyond converting over a 100-page document to a simple mobile user-friendly application, the CHAT tool is critical to helping PHCs to be resilient to climate change realities.

This integration is currently being implemented by eHealth Africa across 238 PHCs in Nigeria with the potential to further scale. The idea of solarizing primary healthcare facilities not only promotes health equity and Universal Health Coverage. This is also among the urgent actions being taken to combat climate change and its impact, which directly addresses Sustainable Development Goal 13. This is no doubt an interconnectivity that cannot be underestimated.

Similarly, the digitization of micro-planning for vaccination campaigns using digital innovation is also spurring behavioural change amongst public health personnel in Nigeria. Using PlanFeld; a web-based application designed to support field logistics for public health interventions, more children are reached with vaccines and other medical supplies.

I will no doubt be looking forward to eHealth Africa’s abstract presentations especially on how the interface of digital tools like CHAT and PlanFeld are spurring behavioral change and promoting health equity. Also, I am excited about the prospect of engaging with like-minded partners to explore ways of scaling these multifaceted solutions for the benefit of underserved populations.

As the world prepares for the Global Digital Health Forum (GDHF) 2025, the future of global health depends not only on smart technologies but also on resilient systems capable of withstanding a rapidly changing climate. In this vein, the world cannot afford digital systems that fail when storms hit or power grids collapse. Neither can we build resilient health systems without leveraging the transformative power of digital innovation. The intersection of these agendas is where the most transformative impact lies.

As one of the few organizations leading the implementation of interventions that combine digital innovation, renewable energy, and climate-resilient strategies, eHealth Africa is developing human-centered solutions that advance health equity, integrate renewable energy into public health systems, and reduce vulnerability to climate change. Our participation in the upcoming GDHF 2025, therefore, reflects a strong demonstration of our institutional capacity, technical expertise, and commitment to driving transformative impact across multiple areas of public healthcare on the continent.

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

eHealth Africa Chats Pathway to Resilient Health Systems at GDHF 2025

Posted on November 25, 2025November 25, 2025 by Moshood Isah

Azeez- Ayodele Fatimah Ayotemitide

Across many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), health systems face a confluence of systemic challenges. They are constantly shifting under the weight of policy instability, significant financing gaps, pervasive infrastructural deficits, and complex social pressures. In these contexts, resilience is not a luxury. It is the only way a system survives.

Resilience means designing systems built rooted in local ownership – not just to function today – but to endure and thrive amid uncertainty. These are systems that remain operational despite shrinking budgets, shifting priorities, or leadership transitions; that welcome innovation as fuel rather than falter under its weight; and that become more robust, adaptive, and impactful the more they are used.

The realities facing health systems in LMICs are not theoretical. They show up in efficient ways: Health facilities without stable power, critical services dependent on paper-based systems, data scattered across siloed platforms, staff turnover that erases institutional memory, digital tools that falter the moment donor funding ends, solutions designed for reporting – not for people, and infrastructure that cannot withstand policy changes or economic pressures.

When these weak points collide, the result is predictable: progress stalls, innovation slows, and entire communities feel the impact. This is why resilience matters. A resilient system can survive these pressures and continue delivering care consistently, reliably, and equitably.

Why the GDHF 2025 Theme Matters

As the global digital health community prepares for the 2025 Global Digital Health Forum (GDHF), the theme, “Advancing Digital Health Solutions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries”, places resilience where it belongs: at the center of the conversation.

Digital health has enormous potential across LMICs, but only when the systems beneath it are strong. For instance, without stable power, reliable data, or community-level visibility, even the most advanced tools struggle to take root.

The GDHF is one of the few spaces where these realities are openly acknowledged, and LMIC voices shape the global conversation. The 2025 theme pushes us to think beyond innovation as a standalone objective and instead, focus on the environments where innovation must live.

As the executive director, Atef Fawaaz puts it, “Digital health only succeeds when the foundations beneath it are strong. GDHF gives us a space to show that resilience isn’t an abstract idea. It’s the power, data, and community structures we build every day to keep health systems moving.”

eHealth Africa’s work spans the interconnected layers of digital health. It goes beyond applications and dashboards to the foundations that make them viable: integrated data platforms, reliable operational systems, sustainable power for clinics, tools that empower health workers, and community-centered support structures.

Together, they form the backbone of self-reliant health systems that don’t wait for permission, funding cycles, or external validation to deliver. At GDHF 2025, eHealth Africa joins national ministries, African innovators, and committed global partners to contribute to this vision and help shape the future of digital health – led from within and built to last.

This year, eHealth Africa will co-host a private side session with Bay Area Global Health Alliance, REACH, and the Africa Hub for Innovation & Development, focusing on “Digital interfaces that influence health behaviour among adolescents in Kenya and beyond”.

The session will explore how youth-centered tools, including AI-powered avatars and digital personas, can strengthen engagement and improve health outcomes. It reflects the kind of collaboration required to build systems that evolve, respond, and improve over time.

Similarly, eHA will be spotlighting three impactful interventions/ solutions while exploring opportunities to build collaborations and strengthen partnerships to scale the impact of these interventions.

Solarization: Powering Reliability

Stable power is the backbone of digital health. Without it, cold-chain equipment fails, data cannot be entered or accessed, and facilities cannot deliver consistent service. eHealth Africa’s Solarization intervention provides sustainable energy to primary health centers, ensuring digital tools remain functional and essential services continue uninterrupted.

This intervention is a practical demonstration of resilience in action. So far, we have achieved 50+ self-powered PHCs toward a target of 238, simultaneously saving facilities over 2.5 million naira in fuel and maintenance costs. Scaling this impact is critical, as every self-powered facility represents a secure anchor for digital health, bringing consistent, life-saving care to underserved communities and reinforcing a scalable, transformative model of system durability.

PlanFeld: Turning Data Into Action

Resilient health systems require real-time visibility. Planfeld enables operational teams to track field activities, manage logistics, coordinate emergency response, and make informed decisions using live data.

A key highlight of its impact was in Kebbi State, where the tool was instrumental in developing 225 Ward-level Digitized Micro Plans for 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs), equipping over 2,950 teams with precise implementation schedules. Due to this success in strengthening planning and data utilization, the state government of Lagos subsequently invited eHealth Africa to deploy PlanFeld for microplanning across their system as well. It strengthens a system’s ability to adapt – one of the core functions of resilience.

CHAT: Community-Level Strength

This tool is integral to our work in climate adaptation. It was successfully piloted across 3 states and 30 Primary Health Centers (PHCs) in Nigeria. Building on this success, the next phase involves direct integration with DHIS2 and the addition of critical hazard areas, such as Heatwaves and Drought, into the assessment framework. By embedding comprehensive, data-driven routines and critical climate intelligence at the community level, CHAT ensures that system resilience is not merely confined to central planning or infrastructure, but is robustly supported by last-mile visibility and human capacity.

Collaboration in Focus: eHealth Africa at GDHF 2025

As eHealth Africa heads to GDHF 2025, the focus is not merely on presenting tools, but on advancing a conversation that matters. Importantly, we are out to take on bold conversations on how to build health systems that continue functioning and continue improving, no matter what challenges arise.

Resilience is not built in a day. It is built through intentional design, strong infrastructure, meaningful partnerships, and solutions that communities can trust and sustain. At GDHF 2025, eHealth Africa joins national ministries, African innovators, and committed global partners to contribute to this vision and help shape the future of digital health – led from within and built to last.

How eHealth Africa’s Lean Transformation Is Strengthening Collaboration and Impact

Posted on November 12, 2025November 12, 2025 by Moshood Isah

– Moshood Isah

Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are already bracing for a steady decline in donor contributions from across the world. At the same time, as health systems grow increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and other public health challenges, expectations remain high, making a culture of efficiency more essential than ever.

Beyond the external challenge of shrinking donor funds, organizations , particularly community-based ones, continue to battle bureaucratic inefficiencies and duplication of interventions. Duplication of efforts across development projects often results from poor donor coordination in LMICs that receive development assistance. This leads to a loss of agility and responsiveness, with potential delays in overall deliverables.

In an era that calls for the acceleration of local innovation, especially in digital health and public health interventions, every resource must be used judiciously to achieve optimal impact. In response, organizations are taking intentional steps to implement Lean Management and human-centered approaches in their work. Lean Management is a continuous improvement philosophy that focuses on maximizing value, minimizing waste, and empowering teams to work more efficiently and effectively.

One of the organizations leading this charge is eHealth Africa (eHA). A few months ago, the Executive Director, Atef Fawaz, initiated an internal drive to promote a culture of Lean Management across the organization and by extension, in its engagements with key partners. This was preceded by comprehensive strategic training of managers and senior managers on the critical tenets of Lean management approach to Non-Profits.

According to Atef, adopting a lean mindset is not only about maximizing output by eliminating waste of time and resources but also about ensuring that communities remain at the center of decision-making. He said, “Lean helps us stay grounded in what communities are telling us, not what we think we know.” Considering all eHealth Africa’s digital health solutions are human-centered, Atef reiterated that, “feedback from communities remains key, even as Lean supports consistent knowledge sharing and capacity building.” This, according to him, helps build the sustainability our work thrives on.

With clear results to show for it, this cultural shift at eHealth Africa has continued to strengthen trust and credibility among donors and partners. “We have always prided ourselves on transparency and accountability,” Atef adds. “This has endeared us to more donors globally, and integrating Lean principles further into our work can only make it stronger.”

To sustain this shift, eHealth Africa has deployed a series of internal communications and engagement strategies to enlighten its teams on the principles of Lean Management, from identifying waste and reducing duplication to ensuring that public health interventions are delivered efficiently, with communities in mind.

Equally important, top managers and directors are embracing the Gemba Walk; a Lean practice where leaders step out of their offices and go to “the real place” where value is created. This includes project sites, data centers, or field locations. These visits give team members the opportunity to share experiences openly, helping leaders understand challenges and areas for improvement.

In addition, eHealth Africa has integrated smart working tools like Asana to enhance efficiency and transparency. The use of Asana has made project delivery more measurable, collaborative, and accountable.

According to Dena Lu, Chief of Staff to the Executive Director and eHA’s Asana Champion, Asana helps embody the Lean mindset of continuous improvement by keeping every task visible, organized, and aligned with our strategic goals. “It eliminates confusion, reduces time spent chasing updates, and allows me to quickly identify what can be improved in our workflows.”, She said. With Asana, Dena is able to track progress in real time, streamline communication across teams, and ensure that every action contributes to greater impact.

Corroborating this, Solomon Emmanuel from the Information Communications and Technology (ICT) Help Desk notes that the user-friendly platform has become the backbone of transparency and accountability within the ICT team, bringing all our operational, technical, and administrative activities into one unified platform. “It gives me clear visibility into what needs to be done, who is responsible, and the current stage of each task; effectively breaking down silos and improving coordination across the team.”, he said

For Tope Ogunseye-Falodun, who leads the Project Support Unit, Asana has brought new order to teamwork. “Automated reminders prevent missed tasks, shared project spaces reduce duplication, and clearer timelines keep everyone aligned.”, she added

Overall, tools like Asana, alongside other Lean-inspired strategies like the launch of the Meeting Optimization to minimize unproductive meetings and protect deep work, have helped translate eHealth Africa’s strategic objectives into structured, visual workflows where accountability and improvement happen naturally. As Fozia Malik, Deputy Director, People & Organizational Strategy, explains; “It’s easier to spot what can be refined before it slows us down, a true reflection of Lean’s focus on flow.”

The results are visible and tangle with project alignment to strategic goals increasing to 86% from 81% in September and continued success in reducing No-Cost Extensions (NCEs) across all quarters of 2025 compared to 2024, maintaining the 25% overall reduction rate. Also, eHealth Africa’s latest innovations like Climate Health Vulnerability Assessment Tool (CHAT) and other upcoming innovations were consistently reviewed and refined based on feedback from users in the communities we serve.

As eHealth Africa continues to strengthen its operational culture through Lean Management and human-centered design, the organization is setting a new standard for efficiency, accountability, and community-driven impact in global health. By embedding continuous improvement into everyday workflows, empowering teams with the right tools, and listening closely to the voices of the communities it serves, eHealth Africa is not only optimizing how it works but also reshaping how impact is sustained.

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.