Tag: UNICEF

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.

One month from now (July 30th), 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

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 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

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.

Fatima Ayomitide Azeez

Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) are the frontline of Nigeria’s healthcare system, especially in rural and underserved areas. Yet, many of these facilities operate in darkness due to erratic power supply, severely compromising patient care, delaying emergencies, and rendering critical equipment useless. 

According to a report by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), approximately 40% of PHCs across Nigeria lack reliable electricity access, forcing many to rely on costly and inconsistent alternatives such as generators. This persistent lack of power undermines everything from vaccine storage to safe deliveries, causing health workers to delay procedures, refer patients unnecessarily, or improvise under unsafe conditions. Consequently, communities lose faith in the healthcare system, and health outcomes deteriorate.

Thus in a bid to bridge this infrastructural gap, eHealth Africa with support from  United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) launched an ambitious intervention to solarize primary healthcare centers in 12 states across Nigeria.  

As a matter of fact, 28 facilities out of the planned 238 PHCs have already been equipped with sustainable renewable energy power systems. This is not just replacing  the  unreliable alternative sources like fuel-powered generators with clean, consistent energy, it goes a long way in bridging healthcare delivery while protecting the environment.

Speaking during the commissioning of one of the facilities in Kano, Toju Chibuzor Oghele, Project Manager for the Solarization project at eHealth Africa said, “We recognized that consistent power is the absolute backbone of effective primary healthcare,”. “This solarization initiative is a strategic investment in building resilient health systems from the ground up, ensuring that life-saving services are never interrupted by a lack of electricity. It directly translates to tangible improvements in child survival and routine immunization coverage across these communities.” , he added 

The renewed spirit is particularly evident among health workers on how critical this intervention is to general healthcare delivery in Primary Healthcare. At Jeli PHC, Kano State, Saleh Haruna, the public health official  In-Charge of the facility says he now looks forward to a future that was previously unimaginable.  He said, “by the grace of God, with this installation, we can finally go ahead and request equipment upgrade and procurement of some medical equipment that we do not have”. 

He added that the PHC  hasn’t been able to get facility upgrades over the years  but this renewable energy solution has opened doors to providing better healthcare services. “This signifies a leap from basic functionality to aspiring for comprehensive, upgraded care”, he said.

For Ilya Muhammad, a 52-year resident of Jeli, the change is deeply personal. Having witnessed the hospital’s prime and its subsequent decline, he now feels immense relief.  “I am just grateful that now we do not need to travel to far away medical facilities to get treated as we always did when emergencies occurred. If any of my family members fall sick now, straight to our neighborhood PHC.” The project has brought essential healthcare back to their doorstep, alleviating a significant burden.

Sani Umar, Assistant In-Charge at Kofa PHC, shares his revitalized outlook.  He said, ” with our PHC now solarized, I genuinely look forward to work. No more heat because we have a conducive working environment and our morale is at an all-time high now as we do not need to turn patients away anymore on the basis of lack of power supply.” 

These powerful testimonies showcase the tangible improvements in working conditions and the profound relief of being able to serve patients without the previous limitations. 

The  UNICEF delegation, who conducted an independent assessment of the installations, validated the functionality of the systems while gathering on-the-ground feedback from healthcare workers and communities. This evaluation successfully  verified the effectiveness of the renewable energy  systems, gauged their real-world impact on healthcare delivery, aligned stakeholders on future phases of the nationwide rollout, while  strengthening accountability for both partners and beneficiaries. 

The solarization effort is more than just a technical upgrade. It’s a strategic investment in health resilience. Through detailed assessments, tailored installations, and training of local health workers, each renewable energy  system is built to serve the specific needs of the facility. While this intervention is still in early stages, its promise is undeniable. Reliable electricity enables vaccine preservation, emergency night services, lab diagnostics, and safer deliveries. It boosts staff morale and rebuilds community trust.

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.