Author: Tijesu Ojumu

Tijesu Ojumu

At the 2025 Africa Digital Health Summit (ADHS) in Lagos, eHealth Africa had the privilege of hosting a side session on a topic of growing urgency: The Role of Digital Innovation in Advancing One Health in Africa.

The session brought together health experts, environmental scientists, animal health professionals, and digital innovators for one clear purpose: to explore how a more connected, data-driven approach can strengthen our ability to predict, prevent, and respond to health threats that cross sectors and species.

The One Health approach recognizes that the health of people, animals, and the environment are deeply interconnected. In a continent where zoonotic diseases are common, food security is vulnerable to climate shifts, and health systems are often fragmented, a siloed approach simply doesn’t work. If we want to control disease outbreaks, we can’t wait until humans are affected. We have to monitor the animals, the environment, and the social systems surrounding them.

This is where digital innovation comes in.

At eHealth Africa, we’ve seen the value of tools like geospatial tracking systems for disease surveillance, digital microplanning platforms like Planfeld, and integrated data dashboards that offer real-time visibility into emerging health threats. But what truly stood out in the ADHS conversation was this: technology alone is not enough.

Speakers across the session emphasized that digital tools only work when they’re part of a broader ecosystem that includes trust, interoperability, local engagement, and strong multisectoral coordination. One of the key takeaways was the need to design systems that are inclusive—tools that work not just for human health, but also for veterinary services, environmental monitors, and community-based responders.

Several powerful insights emerged:

• Data Quality & Ownership: Without high-quality, context-rich data that is owned and trusted by local actors, digital tools will never achieve their full potential.
  
• Workforce Readiness: Intersectoral collaboration only works when human capacity is strengthened across the board. This includes training veterinarians, environmental scientists, and frontline health workers to engage with shared systems.
  
• Inclusive Infrastructure: It’s not enough to have the tech; systems must be built to work across rural and urban settings, among both literate and non-literate populations, and in regions with limited internet connectivity.
  
• Impact Beyond Tools: As one speaker noted, “Success is not a shiny new dashboard. Success is when an outbreak is stopped before it spreads.” That’s the standard we must hold innovation to.
  

For eHealth Africa, this session was not just about sharing our work—it was about listening, learning, and reinforcing our commitment to support African governments and partners with digital tools that make sense locally and can scale regionally.

This is why we are investing in interoperable systems, building relationships across sectors, and focusing on solutions that don’t just react to emergencies but build long-term resilience.

As we left the ADHS 2025 summit, one thing was clear: Africa doesn’t need more tech for tech’s sake. It needs systems that reflect our realities, connect our knowledge, and protect our communities.

The One Health approach offers a framework for that kind of transformation—and digital innovation, when done right, can help bring it to life.

Let’s build those systems together. To explore eHealth Africa’s One Health work and digital health partnerships, visit ehealthafrica.org or follow @eHealthAfrica across all social media channels.

Tijesu Ojumu

In northern Nigeria, where healthcare access is challenged by terrain, insecurity, and resource gaps, responding quickly to a disease outbreak can mean the difference between containment and catastrophe. That’s why innovative disease surveillance strategies are essential—and why eHealth Africa’s work in Kebbi State is setting a new standard.

At the 2025 Africa Digital Health Summit, eHealth Africa presented an abstract during the Scientific Session III titled “Applications of Geospatial Tracking Systems and Digital Microplanning Tools to Improve Polio Outbreak Response in Kebbi State, Nigeria.” The research, jointly authored by Abubakar Shehu, Comfort Audi, Dayo Akinleye, and Ruth Nkem, highlights a replicable model for how integrated digital tools can dramatically improve response times, accuracy, and community coverage.

Polio remains a persistent threat in parts of northern Nigeria, where complex geography, nomadic populations, and infrastructural limitations make it difficult to identify and reach all at-risk children. Traditional microplanning often relies on outdated or incomplete maps, leaving gaps in immunization coverage and exposing communities to preventable outbreaks.

That’s where geospatial tracking and digital microplanning come in.

In Kebbi, eHealth Africa deployed a suite of tools that included:

• Geospatial mapping and tracking: Accurately plotting settlements, population clusters, and hard-to-reach areas using satellite data and field validation.
  
• Digital microplanning via Planfeld: Replacing manual registers and static Excel sheets with dynamic dashboards that allowed health teams to plan campaigns based on real-time data.
  
• Mobile-based feedback loops: Enabling vaccinators and supervisors to report field challenges instantly, improving accountability and mid-campaign adjustments.
  

The result? A notable increase in vaccination coverage, reduction in missed settlements, and better identification of high-risk zones. By layering population data, health facility readiness, and campaign performance onto interactive digital maps, the team in Kebbi could visualize gaps and reallocate resources with unprecedented speed and precision.

This was not just about technology—it was about coordination, capacity building, and data-informed action.

Key to the success of this approach was local ownership. Field teams were trained extensively to use the new tools, and state and LGA health officials were actively involved in planning sessions. This made the data more meaningful and the tools more sustainable.

What makes the Kebbi experience so powerful is its replicability. The lessons from this deployment can apply not just to polio, but to any outbreak-prone disease. Whether it’s cholera, measles, or Lassa fever, the ability to map, plan, and respond in real time is becoming a cornerstone of effective public health systems.

eHealth Africa’s work in Kebbi is a clear example of how digital innovation can bridge systemic gaps in the last mile. As outbreaks grow more complex and resources remain limited, Africa must invest in the kind of solutions that make every dose, every data point, and every decision count.

We’re proud of the team that led this work and grateful to all field workers, partners, and government agencies who made it possible.To learn more about eHealth Africa’s digital tools for outbreak response, visit ehealthafrica.org.

Tijesu Ojumu

In boardrooms, conference halls, and digital health roundtables across Africa, the conversation is changing. It’s no longer just about deploying technology—it’s about designing systems that last, policies that enable, and innovations that scale. And eHealth Africa isn’t just in the room for these conversations. We’re helping shape them.

At a recent Stakeholder Alignment Workshop on Health-Tech Innovations for Advancing Universal Health Coverage, hosted by the leadership of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Solina Centre for International Development and Research (SCIDaR) and the leaderships of CCHub, Salient Advisory, and the i3 team, eHealth Africa’s leadership was represented by the Director of Partnerships and Programs, Ota Akhigbe whose remarks emphasised that the future of health in Africa is about aligning innovation with national strategy, embedding it into real systems, and measuring what truly matters; equitable outcomes.

At the recently concluded Africa Digital Health Summit 2025, eHealth Africa Deputy Director, Programs and Partnerships- Dr. David Akpan co-chaired a session and what emerged was a refreshing reminder that innovation isn’t always about the newest, flashiest tools. As Dr. David put it, “Innovation can be as simple as improving an existing process. If it makes it easier, faster, more accessible—then it’s innovation that matters.”

This focus on relevance and usability is central to eHealth Africa’s mission. Over the years, we’ve deployed digital health solutions across West and Central Africa, but what has remained consistent is our belief in building tools with, not just for, health systems.

From supporting national campaigns with GIS and real-time dashboards, to co-developing platforms like Planfeld for microplanning and outbreak response, our work bridges the gap between field realities and digital opportunities.

Our presence at policy workshops, innovation forums, and high-level summits isn’t accidental. It reflects a shift in how eHealth Africa is viewed across the continent: not just as a technical partner, but as a thought partner. We bring field-tested experience, deep partnerships with governments, and a practical lens that balances ambition with implementation.

Why does this matter? Because Africa’s digital health future won’t be driven by theory alone. It will require influence. Influence that is earned through delivery. Influence that helps shape funding priorities, regulatory frameworks, and capacity development.

When we sit on panels, moderate discussions, or present research at summits like ADHS or ILF, we’re not there to just showcase tech. We’re there to advocate for approaches that work. To ask tough questions about inclusivity, equity, interoperability, and long-term system fit. To amplify the voices of field workers, innovators, and underrepresented communities.

And it’s working. More governments are requesting support not just to run programs, but to co-design policy blueprints. More funders are asking how to align their interventions with existing local infrastructure. More innovators are looking to us as conveners and collaborators.

The health-tech landscape in Africa is maturing. And eHealth Africa is proud to be part of the cohort helping define what comes next.

Because in the end, influence isn’t about the microphone—it’s about the message. And our message is clear: If we want systems that last, we must design them together.

To explore how eHealth Africa contributes to policy and partnership development in digital health, visit ehealthafrica.org or follow @eHealthAfrica.

Tijesu Ojumu

As Africa’s health systems face growing pressure—from rising disease burdens to climate shocks and stretched infrastructure—there’s an urgent question on the table: How do we build solutions that last? At eHealth Africa, our answer begins with one word: local.

On the 30th of July 2025, eHealth Africa will host the 2025 edition of the Insights Learning Forum (ILF), a flagship platform that brings together leaders, policymakers, innovators, funders, and health practitioners across the continent to exchange ideas and share solutions. The theme for this year is ambitious but necessary: “Local Investments for Connected Communities: The Power of Digital Health Networks in Public Health Transformation.”

But what does “local investment” really mean? And why does it matter so deeply?

At its core, local investment is about ownership. It’s the recognition that no one understands the health challenges of a community better than the people who live there. When local governments allocate funding to community health initiatives, when African entrepreneurs are empowered to build and scale digital tools, when public health programs are co-designed with the input of frontline workers—we see results that are more sustainable, context-appropriate, and trusted.

eHealth Africa has seen this firsthand. Whether it’s building Emergency Operations Centers in West Africa, supporting governments to digitize microplanning, or deploying cold-chain innovations to protect vaccines in remote areas, our most impactful work has come from listening, co-designing, and investing in local systems and talent. These aren’t side efforts. They are central to how systems become resilient.

ILF 2025 isn’t just another conference—it’s a strategic gathering with a clear mandate: to connect people and ideas that are shaping Africa’s digital health future. It’s a place where funders can hear directly from innovators working in communities. Where health ministries can see what’s working in neighboring countries. Where startups don’t just pitch—they partner.

Too often, health investments on the continent are externally driven, short-term, and detached from local realities. ILF offers a counter-model. We believe that a nurse in Kano, a policymaker in Kigali, and a health-tech founder in Accra all have something to teach each other—and that together, they can create networks of action far more powerful than any single intervention.

Take, for example, the growing ecosystem of health startups across Africa—many of which were launched with little more than a laptop, local insight, and determination. What they often lack is catalytic capital, access to government systems, or strategic visibility. ILF gives them that platform. In 2024, several emerging innovators made connections at ILF that led to grant funding, pilot programs, and partnerships with international health bodies. That’s what local investment unlocks: not just funding, but opportunity.

It also means asking harder questions: Are we measuring what matters? Are we funding overheads or outcomes? Are we backing shiny ideas, or solutions that communities actually use and trust? Local investment means holding ourselves accountable to the lived realities of the people we serve.

That’s why ILF 2025 will feature not just keynotes and panel discussions, but also hands-on innovation showcases, fireside chats with health workers, and collaborative workshops on data, financing, and equity. Every element is designed to move beyond theory into application.

We’re particularly excited about this year’s focus on interoperability and connected systems. In fragmented health environments, no tool can stand alone. Investment has to focus on infrastructure that speaks across platforms and sectors—from disease surveillance to supply chains, from labs to mobile health units.

Local investment doesn’t mean we ignore global partnerships—far from it. It means we reframe them. Donors, multilaterals, and philanthropies have a vital role to play, not as sole drivers of solutions, but as enablers of scale and sustainability. When global partners listen to and fund what’s already working, rather than starting from scratch, they make their impact deeper and longer lasting.

As we count down to ILF 2025, we invite everyone committed to the future of African health to join the conversation. What does local investment mean where you stand? What do you need to scale what works? What would it take to truly own and sustain your system improvements?

Because if we want connected communities, we need connected thinking. And if we want transformation that lasts, we need to start by building where we stand.

To learn more about the Insights Learning Forum 2025, follow @Insightslearningforum or visit insightslearningforum.org.

Tijesu Ojumu

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

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

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

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

Why Frontline Health Workers Matter More Than Ever

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

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

What Makes a Resilient Health Workforce?

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

1. Tools That Work Where the Roads Don’t

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

2. Training That Doesn’t Stop After Day One

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

3. Systems That Listen Back

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

Elevating Local Expertise

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

Lessons for Donors and Partners

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

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

Building the Future, One Worker at a Time

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tijesu Ojumu

Across many parts of Nigeria and the African continent, health systems are often designed in ways that treat women as beneficiaries—but not as central users, decision-makers, or even visible in the data. Yet it is women and girls who are disproportionately affected by gaps in access, affordability, and information. This disconnect not only undermines health outcomes but weakens the ability of systems to plan effectively and equitably.

At eHealth Africa, we are seeing how digital tools can begin to shift this narrative—from invisibility to inclusion. We’ve learned that the question is not simply whether women are being served, but how they are being seen in the data. And more importantly, whether they are being counted in ways that reflect their full experience—across different life stages, geographies, and health needs.

Where Gender Gaps Begin

From our work in maternal health, childhood nutrition, outbreak response, and logistics, we’ve observed that gender disparities in health often begin with how problems are defined. In microplanning for routine immunization, for instance, women are frequently the primary caregivers who interact with the health system. But their perspectives, challenges, and time constraints are rarely captured in planning sessions or data sets.

In one rural state, a survey showed a drop in immunization uptake. The default explanation was “vaccine hesitancy.” But further community engagement revealed the real barrier: women had to travel over 5 kilometers on foot with multiple children, without access to safe transportation. When digital microplanning tools like Planfeld were introduced to visualize catchment areas and overlay them with settlement maps and facility capacity, local health teams saw the mismatch clearly. Outreach plans were revised, mobile teams were deployed, and uptake rebounded.

Making Women Visible in the System

Digital health tools, when designed inclusively, can correct blind spots in the system. They allow decision-makers to:

• Track service delivery gaps specifically for women and adolescent girls.
• Disaggregate data by sex, age, and location to identify who is being reached and who is not.
• Enable frontline health workers—many of whom are women themselves—to feed back real-time information.
• Map trends in maternal and reproductive health services to detect slippage or progress.
  

In our SRHR-focused work, we’ve used geospatial analysis to identify underserved areas with high adolescent birth rates. We’ve also supported monitoring frameworks that include indicators on menstrual hygiene access, antenatal care attendance, and community-level awareness. These efforts help reveal not just health outcomes, but the structural barriers behind them—whether it’s school absence due to lack of sanitary products or under-resourced health posts in remote communities.

Designing Tools That Fit Women’s Lives

Inclusion is not just about what data is collected, but how. Many digital health interventions assume consistent literacy, smartphone access, or connectivity—all of which can be barriers for women, especially in rural or low-income settings. That’s why we emphasize human-centered design.

Our team co-creates tools with users—including female community health workers, caregivers, and adolescent girls. Features such as:

• Voice-based instructions
  
• Visual prompts instead of text
  
• Offline functionality
  
• Integration with existing workflows
  

…make the difference between a tool that is adopted and one that is abandoned.

Closing the Loop: From Insights to Action

Too often, women’s health data is collected but not used. It gets lost in reports, buried in dashboards, or aggregated into trends that erase nuance. At eHealth Africa, we work with government partners to ensure that insights become action. For example:

• In our early childhood development project, we developed gender-sensitive monitoring tools that tracked girls’ access to education and nutrition alongside immunization coverage.
  
• In outbreak surveillance, we built dashboards that differentiated between female and male case detection and response times.
  
• In facility-level planning, we supported decision-making that prioritized SRHR services based on community-reported gaps.
  

These are not add-ons. They are core to building a public health system that recognizes and responds to women as full participants.

A System That Reflects Everyone

The push for gender equality in health systems is not new. But digital tools offer a new frontier for making it real. They can provide the clarity, speed, and granularity needed to surface inequities and act on them before they become crises.

But this only happens when the people designing and deploying digital tools ask hard questions:

• Who benefits from this data?
  
• Who is missing from this picture?
  
• How will this tool shift power or access for women?
  

At eHealth Africa, we don’t just ask these questions—we embed them into our processes.

As digital health systems grow across Africa, we must ensure they are not built on old assumptions. A truly inclusive digital future will require a commitment to gender-aware data, systems that reflect lived realities, and tools that work for the people using them—especially women.

Because when we make women visible in health systems, we make everyone healthier.To learn more about eHealth Africa’s gender-focused digital health work, visit ehealthafrica.org.