PharmAccess and the Digital Transformations for Health Lab (DTH-Lab) were key contributors at the 4th African Digital Health Summit (ADHS), held on June 27-28, 2024.
The summit, themed “Digital Transformation of Health Systems: What, Why, How?” brought together esteemed leaders, policymakers, and experts to highlight digital innovations advancing universal health coverage across Africa.
The two-day event was attended by several notable figures, including the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa; the Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority of Ghana, Prof. Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah; the Commissioner of Health for Lagos, Prof. Akin Abayomi; the Deputy Director of the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Dr. Anthony Adoghe; the Head of the Digital Health Unit at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Banke Odunsi; and the PharmAccess Country Director, Mrs. Njide Ndili, among others.
PharmAccess, known for its unwavering commitment to enhancing healthcare access and quality, sponsored several panel discussions during the event, advocating for sustainable digital health solutions that prioritize equity, solidarity, data governance and inclusivity.
Giving his remarks, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa, highlighted the critical importance of digital transformation, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which revealed significant weaknesses in global health systems. He explained that digital health solutions have the potential to improve patient care, streamline processes, reduce errors, and provide more accurate diagnoses and treatments.
He added that these solutions can help reach underserved populations and enhance healthcare efficiency by reducing costs and optimizing resources. Dr Alausa stated, “Under the visionary leadership of our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Prof. Pate and I have been tasked with ensuring the full digitization of our health system, recognizing it as a key enabler to achieving quality healthcare and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all Nigerians.”
In his welcome speech, Dr. Niyi Osamiluyi, CEO of Premier Medical Systems Consult and Convener of the ADHS, stressed the urgent need for digital transformation in healthcare systems across Africa. He underscored the importance of innovation, collaboration, and robust policy frameworks in leveraging digital technologies to enhance healthcare delivery and outcomes across the continent. The event featured engaging sessions, panel discussions from various African countries, informative presentations, and lively dialogues focused on critical topics in digital health.
During a panel organized by Transform Health and DTH-Lab on “Maximizing the Benefits of Health Data Through Advancing a Value-Based Approach to Governance and More Robust Legislation,” PharmAccess Country Director, Mrs. Njide Ndili, highlighted the importance of data governance and legislation in protecting users while leveraging data for public good. She stated, “It is important that patients control and enable access to their data as needed, rather than having their data owned and harnessed by developers of digital solutions. There should be laws protecting health data while allowing it to be used and reused for society’s benefit.”
Mrs. Ndili also emphasized the need for collaboration between governments, private sector players, and international organizations to create a robust digital health ecosystem, transitioning from manual records to a digital framework that enables innovations to scale.
On the second day of the summit, PharmAccess and DTH-Lab hosted the Digital First Health System consultation, bringing together 35 young people from across Nigeria to provide input on the blueprint being developed, as recommended by the Lancet and Financial Times Commission report: “Governing Health Futures 2030.”
Mrs. Njide Ndili emphasized the importance of creating inclusive health systems, highlighting that young people’s voices and perspectives are crucial in designing and governing Digital-First Health Systems (DFHS) of the future. “Young people are the highest adopters of mobile and digital technologies; hence, their health priorities need to be captured in the design of digital health technologies,” she stated.
The overarching goal of the 4th African Digital Health Summit was to foster dialogue, share best practices, and catalyze actionable strategies toward building resilient, inclusive, and digitally enabled health systems in Africa. There were over 400 participant from 15 countries at the summit which also showcased 91 digital health abstracts.
The DTH Lab, headquartered in the University of Geneva, is a global consortium of partners working to drive implementation of The Lancet and Financial Times Commission on Governing Health Futures 2030’s recommendations for value-based digital transformations for health co-created with young people.
PharmAccess, an international not-for-profit organization established in 2001, operates in Africa pioneering digital innovative approaches to strengthen the healthcare sector. Its goal is to improve access to quality healthcare, especially for low-income groups.