Earlier this month, the world commemorated World Environment Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of protecting our planet and encouraging global action on environmental issues. Protecting the environment involves taking steps to preserve and restore the natural world, ensuring that ecosystems remain healthy and balanced.
As climate change continues to expose the fragility of healthcare infrastructure especially in underserved and climate-vulnerable areas organizations are taking intentional steps to build climate-smart and environmentally friendly healthcare systems as a pathway to resilience. This includes the deployment of renewable energy (e.g., solar power), sustainable water and waste systems, and climate-resilient facility design, particularly at the primary care level.
This edition of the INSIGHTS Webinar will spotlight real-world case studies, including solarization pilots in Northern Nigeria, to demonstrate the operational and health system benefits of integrating environmental sustainability into service delivery. Participants will gain insights into policy frameworks, financing models, and cross-sector partnerships that are driving the transformation of health systems to become greener, more reliable, and better prepared for climate impacts.
Empowering Healthcare Workers for Better Public Health Systems
In the latest Insights Webinar hosted by eHealth Africa, public health leaders convened to address a critical global priority: strengthening the frontline health workforce. The session emphasized the increasing strain on health systems in low- and middle-income countries and the essential role of well-supported healthcare workers in building resilient systems.
The discussion began with an overview of pressing challenges. Panelists highlighted severe workforce shortages, particularly in underserved regions, and noted that doctor-to-patient ratios in many countries fall far below WHO recommendations. They pointed to rising levels of burnout and mental health strain among health workers, an issue intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing demands of aging populations.
Panelists also discussed persistent urban-rural disparities, where healthcare professionals remain concentrated in cities, leaving rural communities underserved. Additionally, while technology adoption has accelerated, many regions still lack equitable access to digital tools and the training needed to use them effectively.
The conversation moved from identifying problems to proposing solutions, with an emphasis on investing in people-centered, data-informed strategies. Panelists urged stronger systems that empower health workers at every level, not just as service providers but as critical agents of sustainable change.
Moderator:
Tijesu Ojumu – Communications Coordinator, eHealth Africa
Panelists
Dr Abdurrahman Ali – Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association, Kano state branch
Dr. Eno Attah – Executive Secretary of the Akwa Ibom State Primary Health Care Development Agency
Dr Ibrahim Aliyu Umar – The Director, Public Health & Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Kano
African health systems are not just recipients of technological interventions; they are fertile grounds for innovation, driven by local expertise and leadership. This central theme drove the 31st edition of the Insights Webinar. The discussion that focused on Leaders Driving Digital Transformation of African Health Systems emphasized the need to institutionalize digital transformation and consistently elevate stories of African leaders driving change through technology, rather than solely focusing on the challenges within the health sector.
Panelists underscored the urgent need to address the fragmented nature of African health systems and the systemic barriers hindering effective healthcare delivery. More than just identifying problems, the focus shifted to implementing concrete digital measures that foster improved health outcomes.
Also who are drawn from across Africa and other parts of the world emphasized that accelerating action requires providing African institutions with access to appropriate technologies. This, according to them, will foster digital leadership, and empower local stakeholders in decision-making processes, alongside embedding user-centered and context-aware digital health practices into their systems.
Despite the existing infrastructural limitations and digital divides, panelists stressed that true digital health equity demands strategic policy frameworks, regulatory adaptations, and systemic reforms tailored to the African context. A continent-wide, collaborative approach is essential.
As one panelist noted, for too long, discussions around health innovation in Africa have been dominated by external actors, this must change. A multi-faceted, systemic approach, driven by African leadership, is critical, and the time for decisive action is now.
Governments play a pivotal role in shaping policies and legal frameworks that enable digital transformation, particularly in ensuring effective implementation and domestication of digital health strategies. While initial steps have been taken, greater public and private sector collaboration is needed to foster an enabling environment. Panelists called for strong policy advocacy to ensure these policies translate into tangible improvements in healthcare access and quality.
Additionally, panelists recommended capacity building initiatives focused on digital health expertise and the showcasing of successful African digital health leadership models. Highlighting the achievements of African innovators and institutions can serve as a powerful catalyst for changing the narrative and accelerating digital transformation across all aspects of the continent’s health systems.
Panelists:
Dr. Jennifer Batamuliza – Head of Data Driven Incubation at the Africa Center of Excellence in Data Science
Abdulhamid Yahaya – DeputyDirector of Global Health Informatics at eHealth Africa
Megan Kill – Senior Manager, Implementation and Capacity Building at Bao Systems
Dr. Niyi Osamiluyi – CEO of Premier Health Consult and converner of the Africa Digital Health Summit
As the 2030 Immunization Target rapidly approaches, the urgency to extend outreach services to underserved areas has never been more pressing. Reaching children who have missed vaccines and ensuring broader access to immunization are critical steps in preventing outbreaks and safeguarding public health. In light of these challenges, the 28th episode of the Insights Webinar explored strategies for closing immunization gaps and increasing vaccine acceptance, particularly in developing countries.
The discussion centered on the feasibility of meeting the immunization targets in the face of current challenges. Despite these realities, panelists expressed optimism, emphasizing that both conventional and innovative strategies are essential for expanding vaccine access, improving outreach efforts, and building greater community trust in immunization programs.
Panelists also stressed the importance of ensuring that technology remains a foundational strategy for vaccine delivery, storage, and administration. According to the panelists, this approach will enable more accurate data, leading to improved decision-making. The deployment of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) emerged as a key tool for ensuring that every community is reached with vaccines, further contributing to the fight against vaccine-preventable diseases. The GIS tool is also crucial in tracking vaccinators across various communities.
Furthermore, the panelists highlighted the need for creative, community-based solutions and underscored the importance of building awareness and trust in vaccines as part of a broader effort to meet global immunization goals by 2030. To enhance trust and confidence in vaccines, they emphasized the need to educate parents through the right communication channels, such as traditional institutions, while sharing compelling stories about the importance of vaccination.
Insights 28 panelists
Panelists:
Muhammed Faosy-Adeniran, Project Manager, Vaccine Direct Delivery, eHealth Africa
Dr. Shaikh Kabir, UNICEF Immunization Manager, Nigeria
Dr. Peace Pever Torkwase, Coordinator, IPC at EHA Clinic
Moderator: Tijesu Ojumu, Communications Coordinator, eHealth Africa
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