OutREACH: eHealth Africa, Clinic Collaborate to Tackle Non-Communicable Diseases

by Moshood Isah

Hypertension is a major public health problem in Nigeria, with prevalence of 37.5%. This means that nearly 4 out of 10 Nigerian adults have hypertension. Similarly the prevalence of diabetes is increasing worldwide, and Nigeria is no exception; an estimated 7% of adults in Nigeria have diabetes, making it among the most common cardiovascular diseases in the country.

Unfortunately,  lack of access to quality and affordable hypertension and diabetes services in rural communities and primary health care is a major concern. This is largely due to  disparity in access to quality healthcare, especially between rural and urban areas in Nigeria as a result of  economic, social, geographic, and health workforce factors. For instance, the secondary health facilities where the few drugs are, with the facility for testing and the medical professionals are far from the rural communities, making access difficult. This is exacerbated by the high cost of medications, making it difficult for some clients to afford the treatment they need, resulting in low treatment outcomes.

Thus, adapting and digitizing  the World Health Organisation Package of Essential Noncommunicable (PEN) disease interventions for primary health care, eHealth Africa is collaborating with the EHA Clinic Reaching Everyone with Accessible Community Healthcare (REACH) program to reach out to marginalized communities with healthcare interventions. This, according to the Project Manager Lucy Okoye, is aimed at improving access to quality care and affordable services for persons with hypertension and diabetes and others at risk. 

She said, “Social mobilization activities will increase rural communities' knowledge of hypertension and diabetes”, saying  the identification of risk factors and the signs of hypertension and diabetes will likely result in the adoption of a preventive healthy lifestyle and prompt seeking of treatment. Another potential impact of the intervention according to her is to reduce the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes and improve the health and well-being of the target communities, helping people to live longer and lead healthier lives. 

In February, eHealth Africa supported the free medical outreach conducted in the Kuje community of the Federal Capital Territory and Gyadi-Gyadi community of Kano state. According to Adawiya, Mahmud Ila, Product and Quality Assurance Coordinator at the EHA REACH clinic said the outreach is an opportunity to reach the people accessible and  to provide free healthcare within the community. 

“We are having an outreach where we see hypertension and diabetic patients,we measure the blood pressure and fasten blood sugar.”  If there is a need for us to give hypertensive and glycine medication we give them which is going to be free for 6 months”, she said.

She said, the economic realities in developing countries like Nigeria limits citizens especially the older generation from accessing good medical care.  She said, “You know how the economy is in Nigeria; economically it's hard for them to go to the hospital so we are just trying to make an impact in the community”.

Speaking on community acceptance and mobilization strategy for the outreach, Adawiya said, the partners leveraged on its Community Health Extension Workers (CHEW) to discuss the impact of the intervention  with traditional leaders and community influencers. 

Community Feedback

Zainab Abdullahi is  a resident of Kasuwan Dare area of Gyadi-Gyadi community of Kano state. She heard of the REACH Clinic Outreach through community influencers. “Now they checked our BP,Blood sugar level and from here we will proceed to see the doctor”, she said. 

Zainab lauded the outreach initiative saying the community is receptive to ideas like this. “the hospital environment is clean and welcoming and this is why you can see close to 100 people coming for this outreach”.  “If they can spread their tentacles and establish  this kind of hospital in all areas, we will be happy so that everyone will visit the nearest hospital rather than going far from home to access healthcare”, she said.  There is also a need to have additional doctors to attend to a growing number of patients in a bid to reduce waiting time, she said.

Ahmed Salisu Musa has spent 45 years in the community.  He expressed his excitement saying the outreach has brought good healthcare delivery to his doorstep. “They took my blood samples, gave me some medications and I was told, I am not diabetic”, he said

He said, “as a community leader myself, I am glad to  have witnessed what is happening and will pull  in more people to come and get checked.” Musa called for increased mobilization of citizens and more importantly expansion of the intervention to reach other communities.

Nasarawa SPHCDB set to Sustain Vaccination Progress with User-Friendly EMID Mobile App

by Moshood Isah

The race to  ensure accessibility to  COVID-19 Vaccine and  intensive campaigns to promote the uptake of the vaccines led to its routinization especially in developing countries.   To further ensure the successful implementation of its COVID-19 vaccine deployment plan and address existing challenges of data management, Nigeria developed the Electronic Management of Immunization Data (EMID) system in 2021. By the end of the year,  the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) revealed that Nasarawa state, located in North Central part of Nigeria has again overtaken other states in the COVID-19 mass vaccination campaign in Nigeria.

However, recent experience has also revealed that manual data collection remains vulnerable to damage or manipulation. Digital solutions remain mostly more recommended as it enables more accurate data capturing and better storage process.  However, the potential challenges that could hamper the progress of development and utilization of digital solutions for management of immunization data are likely technical glitches and capacity limitations of health officials, especially in underserved communities. 

 To Address these challenges, eHealth Africa in partnership with National Primary Health Care Development Agency supported by GAVI developed an optimized version of the EMID mobile application, incorporating routine immunization to further standardize and harmonize data collection and storage. Thus, eHA successfully completed the training of healthcare personnel across the country, in the use of the EMID Native App.

Speaking during the training session for healthcare personnel and immunization recorders across over 300 Primary Health facilities in Nasarawa state, key stakeholders highlighted how the optimum utilization of the EMID application will sustain vaccination progress in the state.

LGA EMID Focal Persons in Nasarawa state after a Training of Trainers on optimised EMID application

Abubakar Alilu Awei, State Primary Healthcare Development Board, (SPHCDB) Immunization Officer (SIO) said the presence of EMID Focal persons at the LGAs ensuring that all recorders upload information of clients on the national server was indeed instrumental in the state progress during the COVID 19 vaccination.  He said, “You may recall that Nasarawa state emerged as the overall best performing state in Nigeria in terms of COVID-19 vaccination and also the best performing state in the North central zone. This may not be unconnected to the good use of our EMID application that we adopted during the COVID 19 vaccination.”

Awei further lauded the incorporation of routine immunization into the application saying, the training is timely as it  will enable the state to have  data on the server to enable adequate tracking of client information. He said, “with the optimized EMID app,  at a glance we can  check on the client that has been vaccinated with the first antigens. So when they come back to the health facilities for the next antigen it's just for the recorder at the health facility to go to the server and update the current antigens that they have received”. It reinforces the prospects for effective management of immunization data.

In a similar vein, Beatrice Samuel, NPHCDA, Zonal technical officer,  Nasarawa state said, “one of the things we really enjoyed is that we could see the accessibility, the user friendly and not much challenge”. While describing the optimization of the EMID app as a milestone for the agency and eHealth Africa, she called for its sustainability. 

“I  want to believe that the excitement we have now would not just go away. It should be something that will not give us challenges when we go to the field.  There should be a sustainable native app for us to enjoy more and more”.

Immunization Recorder in Doma LGA of Nasarawa State

In his words, Ahmed Ibrahim, EMID State Focal Person for Nasarawa State lauded eHealth Africa for leading the optimization of the application saying, “ our recorders at the health facility will now know the value and importance of keeping record”. He said the application guarantees the safety of data in its electronic form saying,  “even if the facility is burnt you can still go to the database and search for the record of any person”, he concluded. 

COP28: Spotlighting the Impact of Climate Change on Public Health - Atef Fawaz

Atef Fawaz, Executive Director, eHealth Africa

Less than a fortnight ago, the  World Health Organisation,  Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the impact of climate change may reverse the progress made in the fight against malaria. This according to him is due to “COVID-19-induced public health disruptions, humanitarian crises, drug and insecticide resistance, and global warming impacts”. As contained in the recently released World Malaria report, the changing climate poses a substantial risk to progress against malaria, particularly in vulnerable regions. This may just be another critical reason needed to lift the climate change/health nexus while ensuring effective mainstreaming of  health in the global climate change agenda.

There is no gainsaying that developing countries like Nigeria and others  must be on the alert to prepare for the potential impact of this new development necessitated by climate change. Despite the hysteria that greeted the reported number of Africa’s delegates (especially Nigeria) to the just concluded 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference otherwise referred to as  Conference of Parties (COP28), It is pertinent to reflect on the economic and human resources invested in the event to explore actual opportunities. 

The conference was no doubt a huge platform  where thought leaders and experts across the  world come together to chart pathways  to address the climate crisis, and proffer succor on how  vulnerable communities can adapt to the effects of climate change. This is in a bid to achieve the  overall goal of  net-zero emissions by 2050. With over 70,000 delegates expected to attend this important event every year; from business leaders, young people, climate scientists, Indigenous Peoples, journalists, and various other experts and stakeholders; the opportunities are boundless. 

With the 2023 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report revealing that over 3.5billion people live in areas that are vulnerable to climate change, it's just a matter of time before nations feel the impact if there are no effective measures for early preparedness and response against climate change.  This may have contributed to the call for urgent action on climate change and health by  the Global Health Community.  This is also not a coincidence as similar calls were made before the 2022 Conference as the World Health Organisation reiterated the fact that,  climate crisis continues to make people sick and jeopardizes lives. This yet again buttressed the call to make healthcare delivery amidst climate change  a critical area of discussion during the conference.  Thus it was not surprising when the COP28 Presidency joined with the World Health Organization to announce a new ‘COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate and Health’ (the Declaration) to accelerate actions to protect people’s health from growing climate impacts.

Thus developing countries like Nigeria have a huge opportunity to build on their participation in the conference to explore ways to alleviate the grueling impact of climate change on healthcare delivery and policies.  One of the first signatory to the Declaration on Climate and Health, Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera revealed that  extreme and unfavorable weather events have consistently displaced citizens, causing the spread of infectious diseases that has led to the death of thousands in countries like Malawi. 

Nigeria specifically in recent times witnessed increased flood and rapid desertification. For instance, in the last 18 months, Nigeria experienced massive floods caused by global warming with huge economic and health implications like loss of lives, properties leading to chronic hunger and vulnerability to water-borne diseases.  Also, the potential threat to  livelihoods like agriculture and  fishing is no doubt cause for concern with potential challenges of food security which negatively impact health and nutrition.

While a handful of organizations are taking both intentional and unintentional steps to combat the impending impact of climate change, it is vital to galvanize important stakeholders  across all sectors to discuss their role in supporting the process.  A typical example of such steps is eHealth Africa's deployment of a modular solution that involves the design and implementation of renewable energy solutions for healthcare facilities, especially in low-resource settings. The  Renewable Energy for Public HealthCare (RE4PHC) solar system is designed to be deployed to health facilities with minimal access to power but at the same time reducing the emission of greenhouse gas from generating sets due to lack of electricity. 

However there is need for public and stakeholder sensitization and coordination on the potential impact of climate change in the African region especially in Nigeria. Organisations and government agencies like Nigerian Park service, Great Green Wall, ministries of Agriculture, Marine and Blue economy amongst other Non governmental organizations both within and outside the region must coordinate to ensure effective action against climate change.

This is in a bid to further explore the causes and impact of climate change within and around the African context while educating the people on activities that have consistently escalated the current risk. A basket fund can also be created to pull resources from the public and private sector, especially companies whose activities contribute to emission of greenhouse gasses and global warming with support from international thought leaders and experts in climate change interventions.

The idea of dissecting the nexus between climate change and health is to ensure that Low and Medium Income (LMIC) like Nigeria to advance its aspiration to meet up with acceptable global standards as regards critical actions that aides early preparedness and response. 

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

SARMAAN: Towards a Successful Mass Drug Administration Implementation

#Child Health, #SARMAAN, #Data Management

By Mohammed Bello

In a bold move to address infant mortality, the Nigerian government through the Federal Ministry of Health, in collaboration with implementation partners, initiated the Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance of Mass Administration of Azithromycin on Children 1-11 months in Nigeria (SARMAAN) research project. The project's focal point is the mass administration of Azithromycin to children aged 1 - 11 months to understand its impact on safety, antimicrobial resistance, and overall reduction in infant mortality.

The SARMAAN project unfolds in two phases: firstly, to investigate the safety and pattern of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) resulting from Azithromycin administration, and secondly, to assess the cost, feasibility, and acceptability of the drug delivery through various platforms. With three (3) successful cycles completed across six states, the project is well on its way to achieving its milestones.

The study areas - Jigawa, Kebbi, Kano, Sokoto, Akwa Ibom, and Abia are a microcosm of the diverse challenges and opportunities in Nigeria. Their unique characteristics- geographical features to economic structures, provide a rich backdrop for a comprehensive understanding of the SARMAAN project's impact on healthcare delivery. The research looks at the interplay of factors such as regional health disparities, cultural nuances, and existing healthcare infrastructures. This nuanced examination allows for a more profound appreciation of the project's significance within the context of Nigeria's varied landscapes and sociodemographic compositions.

eHealth Africa worked on data management in six implementing states, using digital tools to streamline processes. Key deliverables included the digitization of paper-based case reporting forms, the creation of a study database, and the training of data collectors. The meticulous approach ensured data accuracy and reliability.

The implementation approach, outlined in the document, emphasizes a systematic methodology. With a focus on data processing, storage, and dissemination, the project leveraged digital platforms like Kobotoolbox and Tableau to ensure a smoother information flow.

The raw data is collected, filtered, sorted, processed, analyzed, stored, and then presented in a readable format. The stages deployed to process the collected data. 

For this study, data uploaded to the Kobo server is first processed in the Feature Manipulation Engine (FME) before being sent to the study's Postgre SQL database. The next stage is GeoServer, where fields are exposed as needed and finally disseminated using Tableau.

The SARMAAN project has seen significant achievements in its implementation, with over 18,100 children reached out of the 17893 children targeted across 3 cycles. Training initiatives, data processing, and cleanup were conducted meticulously, contributing to the success of the project. The Tableau dashboard provided a comprehensive overview of the progress, ensuring transparency and accountability. The SARMAAN project dashboard can be accessed via the link. 

Despite the successes, the project encountered challenges, including violations of daily community visitation targets, inadequate training facilities, and security concerns. In addition, some data collectors needed more essential tools. Stakeholder engagement gaps existing in certain states also hindered compliance.

The project offers valuable insights, highlighting the importance of daily visitation plans, group training approaches, and adapting to cultural norms. Recommendations include the need for targeted outreach strategies, increased female data collectors in specific regions, and an extended training period for enhanced proficiency.

The SARMAAN project stands as a testament to the power of research and collaboration in addressing critical health challenges. By navigating challenges and incorporating key lessons, the project is poised to continue making a positive impact on infant mortality rates in Nigeria. The journey so far reflects a commitment to innovation, data-driven decision-making, and the well-being of the nation's children.

PARTNERS

How eHealth Africa Champions Holistic Well-being through Sporting Activities

By Favour Oriaku

At eHealth Africa, we recognize that our greatest asset is our people. Their hard work, dedication, and passion are the driving force behind our mission to build stronger health systems across Africa. Understanding the importance of mental and physical well-being in sustaining high levels of performance and engagement, we have instituted a series of work-life balance activities across our office locations. Central to this initiative is our commitment to fostering a culture of health, unity, and mutual support through our sporting events every Tuesday and Thursday.

These are not just games; they are a fundamental part of our organizational fabric. We have tailored these sessions to involve everyone comfortably, with football attracting many of our male colleagues and volleyball popular among our female staff. This thoughtful categorization ensures widespread participation and is in line with our core values of inclusivity and respect for individual preferences.

The benefits we're seeing go far beyond physical fitness. Regular exercise is scientifically proven to reduce severe health risks, but we're witnessing firsthand the positive energy, reduced stress levels, and the bonding that's building a more resilient eHealth Africa family. The effects spill over from the football field and volleyball court into daily office interactions, enhancing teamwork and easing communication.

But perhaps it's best expressed directly by our team members, who have embraced this initiative wholeheartedly:

In Abuja, Solomon Eteng, one of our dedicated senior network administration associates, observes, "These sessions are about more than just exercise. They're an avenue for bonding with colleagues, sharing a laugh, and easing the day's stress. It's amazing to see the impact on our work environment - there's a boost in morale and productivity."

Also in Abuja, Aisha Yakubu, a key member of our operations  team, adds, "Initially, I wasn't sure sports was for me, but I gave volleyball a try and I'm glad I did! It's refreshing and, beyond the health benefits, it shows the organization values our overall well-being. That really matters."

In our Kano office, the enthusiasm is just as infectious. Mohammed Bello, a project manager who also doubles as the Culture Club lead says, "The football sessions are something I look forward to. It's not just the physical health benefits; it's the improved sleep, the relaxed mind, and the strengthened bonds with colleagues. You can see that team spirit reflected in our work collaborations."

Likewise, Tosin Williams, a coordinator with the GIS department at our Kano office reflects, “Our sporting activities have been a revelation for me. It's not just about keeping fit; it's about the relationships we're building. This has made a huge difference in making our work interactions even more effective and enjoyable."

Our sports initiative is not just another organizational initiative; it's a strategic approach to holistic well-being, reflecting our belief that when we take care of our staff, they can perform at their best, both professionally and personally. By investing in these activities, eHealth Africa is not only promoting healthier lifestyles but also fostering a culture of unity, mutual respect, and emotional support. So, as our teams in Abuja and Kano take to the field each week, we're not just scoring goals in football or volleyball; we're championing the well-being of our staff, and by extension, the communities we serve.

eHealth Africa's Integration of Digital Solutions for Public Health Impact

By Favour Oriaku

eHealth Africa (eHA) has the strong belief that access to proper healthcare is a right, not just a privilege. Consequently, eHA continues to create innovative solutions that provide underserved communities in Nigeria with the tools to take charge of their health and well-being. Through their digital innovations, eHA is bridging the gap between technology and healthcare. Currently, the organization is improving their offering by merging their two main applications - LoMIS Deliver and  LoMIS Stock - into one, all-encompassing platform: LoMIS Suite. This platform will enhance the management and delivery of vaccines and other health supplies. By doing so, ensuring that essential healthcare services are consistently available. 

LoMIS Deliver alone has successfully delivered over 17 million vaccine doses and 16 million essential goods to their destinations, overcoming logistical challenges to keep healthcare running smoothly. At the same time, LoMIS Stock has provided healthcare workers with a more efficient way to report, offering real-time visibility of stock levels and streamlining the planning process through a mobile app.

The merging of these two applications by eHA, promises to be a powerful tool for improving existing health systems. It will help manage stock levels, track deliveries, and enhance decision-making processes with ease and precision. With these merged applications, every piece of data collected will contribute to better delivery schedules, improved stock availability, and, most importantly, ensuring that every member of the community has access to essential healthcare services. The integration of the LoMIS applications represents not just a technological advancement, but a ray of hope for a society in pursuit of a dependable and efficient healthcare system at the last mile.

Fatimah Howeidy, the project manager, shares her perspective, saying: "Every data point we collect represents real people, families, and their futures. By merging our LoMIS Deliver and LoMIS Stock applications, we're not only improving our technology but also ensuring that vaccines and health supplies are always available when and where they're needed most, and the process is managed using a more improved system."

This initiative is supported  by the Digital Health Innovation Accelerator Program (DHIAP), which was launched in 2021, and is powered by the WFP Innovation Accelerator and BMZ digilab – the innovation lab for digital solutions, initiated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in collaboration with GIZ, the German Development Bank KfW, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. eHA project has been selected as one of 5 finalists for the WFP Sprint Programme, and is supporting the implementation by providing  financial support, as well as access to mentorship, guidance, and a strong network of peers and stakeholders to inspire and share knowledge and best practices. 

Through initiatives like these, eHA is empowered to offer not just technological solutions; they are weaving a future where healthcare is consistent and accessible to all. This future includes mothers who wish to see their children thrive without vaccine-preventable diseases, healthcare workers who rely on dependable data and supply chains, and communities that rightfully deserve equitable healthcare. In the synergy of technology and health facilitated by eHA, each vaccine delivered represents a stride towards improved health outcomes. Every report submitted through the app strengthens the battle against vaccine preventable diseases. And each decision made with precise, real-time data paves the way for equal healthcare accessible to all.

Fatimah encapsulates eHA's spirit by saying, "Our solutions, especially when combined into the LoMIS Suite platform, are more than just applications. They are our commitment, represented in data, ensuring that every child and every family in our communities has reliable healthcare."

In this intricately woven digital solution created by eHA, technology and health are seamlessly interconnected, ensuring that each individual and every community can consistently count on fair and reliable healthcare. It's not just a project; it is a commitment to accessible healthcare through the power of technology and unwavering dedication of our healthcare professionals.

Inside eHealth Africa's Vibrant 'TGIF' Tradition

By Favour Oriaku

Finding the harmony between professional obligations and personal well-being is not just a perk—it's a necessity. Our commitment to fostering a nurturing work environment has birthed our beloved tradition: the "Thank God It's Friday" (TGIF) activity. This vibrant, monthly gathering is not only a testament to our organizational culture but also a celebration of the diversity, unity, and spiritedness that define us.

Held on the last Friday of each month, our TGIF is a variety of activities designed to ignite joy, foster connections, and refresh our team. The event is a lively mix of indoor games—including chess, card games, ludo, and Wood Block Game—as well as outdoor activities with volleyball and table tennis. But the festivities don't stop there; they sometimes reach a climax with karaoke sessions, where our staff showcase their vocal talents, followed by a feast of food and drinks, making it an absolute delight.

Why do we do this? At eHealth Africa, we believe that work-life balance is crucial for the mental health and overall productivity of our team. These activities provide an informal setting for staff to unwind, connect with each other outside of work protocols, and build a sense of family and togetherness. It's a reminder that we're not just colleagues—we're a family.

Our staff's reflections beautifully articulate the impact of these gatherings:

Deborah Solomon, a Senior Project Support Coordinator  from our Kano office, shares, "TGIF is the highlight of my month! The games, the singing, the laughter—it's the perfect way to unwind. I feel deeply connected to my colleagues, and it's wonderful to see everyone let their guard down and just have fun!"

Ibrahim Adepoju, who is part of our network administration team, adds, "The last Friday of the month is something I eagerly await. The activities help me de-stress, and I've discovered so many hidden talents among my colleagues! It's a fantastic way to wrap up the month."

From Abuja, Diligence Saviour Albert, a member of our business application team, remarks, "I've always believed in work-life balance, and the TGIF initiative reinforces that. From board games to karaoke, there's something for everyone. It's not just about relaxation; these moments enhance our teamwork and make us look forward to the challenges ahead."

Similarly, Onyeka Onwuama, an associate project manager in our Borno office, reflects, "These gatherings are not just for fun; they're essential to our well-being. Connecting with colleagues over a game of chess or a song builds a support system that transcends professional relationships. It's refreshing and, honestly, a major morale booster."

Our TGIF tradition is embedded in our core belief at eHealth Africa: we are as dedicated to our staff's well-being as we are to the communities we serve. Creating spaces for our team to relax, connect, and recharge is not just about building a positive work culture; it's a fundamental part of our success story. As we continue to strive for excellence in building a stronger health system in Africa, we remain equally committed to nurturing a work environment where staff are appreciated, celebrated, and cared for—ensuring that at eHealth Africa, every last Friday isn’t just the end of a month, but a celebration of the people who make our mission possible.

World GIS Day: Underscoring the Impact of Geographic Information Systems in Public Health

Atef Fawaz - Executive Director of eHealth Africa

World GIS Day: Underscoring the Impact of Geographic Information Systems in Public Health - Atef Fawaz

About a fortnight ago, Chairman of the National Population Commission, Nasir Isa-Kwarra announced that this administration is set to launch a Geospatial data repository along with an Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System (ECRVS) as the country plans to conduct its first digital census. This is basically in a bid to ensure every part of the country is comprehensively covered as census has continued to prove to be an effective way to ensure equity in  allocation of resources.  This coming a few days before the annual celebration of the World Geographic Information Systems (GIS) day further reiterates the importance of GIS in virtually every sector of the Nigerian economy, especially public health. 

Recently, it seems a lot of experts who have dedicated their lives to designing and implementing digital innovations to solve critical world problems may have not received the appropriate accolades for their efforts. This may be partly due to the proliferation of digital technological solutions across various sectors with varying degrees of efficacy. Thus it is heartwarming to see that the theme of the 2023  World Geographic Information Systems (GIS) day is dedicated to celebrating the immense efforts made by GIS professionals to achieve sustainable impact in solving problems in the area of public health, security, environmental preservation, emergency response and disaster management, geospatial data management and other critical decision making process. 

While it looks simplistic to say GIS is basically the use of maps to inspire change but that's how the system has consistently been deployed over the years to identify problems, develop solutions and track changes. Importantly, data from geospatial analysis has consistently proven to be instrumental in detecting  and responding  to public health emergencies and natural disasters. This can go a long way in determining where and when relief materials, medical support and even vaccines could be deployed. 

According to the World Health Organisation, by connecting maps, applications, data and people, GIS has the potential of  supporting countries and partners to make informed public health decisions faster and to extend the reach of geospatial information across the organization. For instance, while the world is gradually moving on from the COVID-19 pandemic, the role Geospatial tools played in equitable response to the pandemic cannot be downplayed.  The booming global availability of geospatial information according to - Karin Källander, Global Digital Health Lead, UNICEF, provided unprecedented opportunities that ensured the challenge of equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines is met. 

At National and regional level, organizations like ehealth Africa have consistently installed and deployed GIS tools most recently in the fight against polio in Nigeria. The team successfully provided equipment and human resources to support the tracking of Polio Special Intervention campaigns in northern Nigeria. These support to a large extent not just identify hard to reach rural locations that are yet to be covered during vaccination but also track vaccination personnel in the process. As a matter of fact, the use of GIS tools significantly contributed to the mantra of “leaving no one behind when it comes to vaccination and other health interventions. Thus it proves an adequate framework when it comes to equity, coverage and resource allocation. 

Similarly, in March 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a policy recommendation on Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC); a new intervention against plasmodium falciparum malaria. The intervention deployed GIS to monitor the intermittent administration of a curative dose of antimalarial medicine to children at high risk of severe malaria living in areas with seasonal transmission, regardless of whether they are infected with malaria. While providing near real time updates on vaccination coverage, the GIS tracking system also flagged omitted households promoting accountability and transparency during and after  the intervention.

Over the years, GIS professionals have dusted the odds using a geographic approach in addressing unprecedented health challenges like Polio, Malaria, climate change, global warming and most recently, the  COVID-19 pandemic.  Beyond public healthcare interventions, Geospatial tools have been recommended as a critical solution for town planning, development of housing units, polling units location, and fight against insecurity amongst others.

In a nutshell, GIS provides an immense avenue to further amplify the success stories of GIS and importantly the professionals who consistently dedicate time and resources in developing digital solutions that can be tailored to provide context-specific insights.  It will thus be fascinating to see organizations like National Population Commission (NPC), Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Jamitan Tech Nig. Ltd, the Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri), and other critical Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Organizations and Societies collaborate to chart pathways of strengthening GIS and its prospect as the world host  World GIS day.

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

Responding to Impending Public Health Emergencies in War-torn Region - Atef Fawaz

Atef Fawaz - Executive Director of eHealth Africa

In the last two decades, more than 1.3 million people and nearly two trillion dollars have been lost to disasters caused by natural hazards, a United Nations Development Program (UNDP) data reveals. These disasters tend to come with varying degrees of devastation and impacts while in many other cases, affected locations tend to battle with especially public health emergencies during and after such disasters. 

While these disasters are largely natural, the escalation of wars in different parts of the world causes both humanitarian and environmental depredation with potential public health exigency. For instance, since its commencement in February 2022, the World Health Organisation revealed that about  7 million individuals have been displaced within Ukraine and another 7.5 million refugees have been displaced across Europe with over 6000 deaths. Meanwhile in the first 2 weeks, the Palestine-Israeli war has registered over 3000 deaths with many more wounded and displaced. 

Thus there are major concerns that the ongoing crisis in the region is not just an international relations crisis but also a public health crisis that can result in long-term consequences. With the few available hospitals overcrowded, overwhelmed and reaching breaking point while corpses litter the streets, medical experts are concerned about the potential outbreak of infectious diseases especially in Gaza.  Beyond little or no access to good food and water, victims of the ongoing crises risk mental health disorders like depression, anxiety amongst others. Even in the cause of seeking succor, displaced persons are largely exposed to health risks which could degenerate into pandemic both now and in the future. 

For instance, Dr. Jack Tsai, a professor and regional dean at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in San Antonio is worried that people who are forcibly displaced are at greater risk of communicable diseases such as COVID-19 and measles, which could lead to an outbreak. Also, the impact of deadly weapons like rockets, gravity bombs, amongst others could escalate the potential of future disasters from floods, and earthquakes to public health crises like pandemics and other  outbreaks. 

At the moment, immediate medical attention for the victims of war remains a priority, these nations could be preparing for an impending public health emergency in the near future. With hospitals vulnerable to attacks and healthcare workers losing their lives in the process, the diminishing healthcare facilities and personnel will no doubt contribute to an impending health emergency both during and aftermath of the conflict.  It's more worrisome that these crises have the potential to spillover to neighboring countries and allies to affected nations as a result of mass migration.

This no doubt underscores the importance of developing robust Digital health intervention strategies to complement existing structures for a more improved response to a potential public health emergency and response. One important global best practice is the operationalization  of Emergency Operation Centers (EOC) that provides a platform for response teams to collect, analyze, prioritize, monitor, and disseminate information about health crises or disasters. This goes  a long way in providing access to information to stakeholders to ensure timely and effective decisions to ensure effective response to health emergencies. Just last year, the WHO inaugurated its first EOC in Gaza as part of efforts to improve emergency response amidst incessant conflict and health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Thus this is an opportunity to identify digital innovations and creative strategies to respond to impending health emergencies in the region.  Experts have suggested that Digital Health solutions can facilitate the integration of health data to monitor impacts, and potentially predict impacts on health, and also serve as decision support tools to provide alerts for potential related disasters. For instance, the Center for Strategic and International studies in one of its briefs on Disaster Risk Reduction through Digital Transformation revealed that, using data from Twitter feeds or even from satellite imagery has helped map the spread of disasters, especially with pandemics. Similarly, it was said that social media platforms played an important role in identifying and discussing symptoms of COVID-19 even before it became a pandemic. The online conversations no doubt helped medical experts to determine the origin of the virus and its eventual spread.

Also, applications like Geographic Information System; an important analytical mapping technology, helps build early warning systems in a bid to understand where potential hazards are located, how many people are affected and what response is needed. With this deep modeling capabilities of GIS, public health leaders and governments in developing nations or vulnerable locations  have a huge opportunity to build a predictive and estimation data repertoire, which can lead to more efficiently targeted emergency preparedness and recovery strategies.

There is also a need to develop emergency communications applications in a bid to reach out to a large public about emergency response efforts. Through this kind of mobile applications, users can receive weather reports, locate emergency shelters and even register for disaster aid. The app offers tips for handling over 20 types of emergency situations and disasters.  An example is the First Aid Disaster Readiness App developed by the  American Red Cross which provides health instructions in situations where victims cannot access hospital immediately. The app has consistently helped in to control bleeding, treat a broken bone, perform Cardiopulmonary resuscitation amongst others. Aside from providing support on first aid for allergies, asthma attacks, burns, choking, distress, heat strokes, stings and bites, the multiple section application also provides detailed information on preparing for situations like  an earthquake, drought, flooding, landslides, tsunamis, volcanoes, and more.

Developing nations must also learn from the current situation by strongly investing in digital structures, building partnerships across all critical stakeholders and developing a legal framework that meets global standards in a bid to internalize effective digital health strategy.  

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 Commits to promoting early detection of Vaccine Derived Polio Virus through Lab Support

by Moshood Isah

Nigeria may have been declared a polio free nation but the Variant Poliovirus Type 2 strain transmission still lingers. Nigeria reported 168 cases in 2022. This  has made further interventions crucial particularly  around early detection. The growing cases in a  number of African countries require a focused effort to strengthen polio laboratories that can effectively help the affected countries to quickly confirm cVDPV2 cases and launch outbreak responses, including the introduction of novel OPV2.  

In 2018, the World Health Organisation (WHO) introduced a Global Polio Surveillance Action Plan (GPSAP 2018-2020) to support endemic, outbreak, and high-risk countries in evaluating and increasing the sensitivity of their surveillance systems against Polio. The plan also initiated supplemental strategies that may help in closing gaps in detecting polioviruses, including strategies for immunodeficiency-associated vaccine-derived polioviruses (iVDPVs) while also strengthening coordination across surveillance field teams to foster a more effective programme and document zero cases worldwide. 

The new Global Polio Surveillance Action Plan (GPSAP) for 2022-2024. also focuses on increasing the speed of poliovirus detection, improving surveillance quality at the subnational level, fostering the integration of polio surveillance with surveillance for other epidemic-prone vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs), and mainstreaming gender equality in surveillance activities and programming as a key enabling factor.

To achieve parts of the Global Polio Surveillance Action Plan (GPSAP) 2022-2024, ehealth Africa worked with World Health Organisation (WHO)  supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) to  renovate and upgrade the   Sequencing Laboratory in the Virology department, University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Oyo State. The laboratory was commissioned by Kazadi Walter, Country Representative and Head of Mission; World Health Organisation to Nigeria. This is part of the effort to improve surveillance, rapid detection and response against the spread of Vaccine Derived Polio Virus and other vaccine preventable diseases.  

Speaking during the official commissioning of the Laboratory, Dr. Kazadi Walter reiterated the commitment of WHO towards eradicating polio virus through the provision of facilities and rendering of technical support to Nigeria’s health care. He stated that WHO in collaboration with the government established the Global Polio Laboratory Network of which 16 are currently in Africa, with two located in Nigeria; Ibadan and Maiduguri. According to Walter, the primary objective is to work with WHO in the African Region (AFRO) to equip the global polio laboratory network labs for robust and rapid sample analysis for polio and to provide support in equipping these labs with sequencing capabilities.

Prof. Kayode Adebowale, the university vice chancellor, commended the initiative saying “this laboratory will not only provide vital information for the eradication of polio but also contribute to our university infrastructure, helping us to fulfill our vision and mission in addressing social needs.” The VC said: “The department has played a crucial role in Nigeria’s polio eradication programmes by contributing significantly to the country’s achievements of being declared wild polio-free in 2021.

Speaking on the role of eHealth Africa in the support for Laboratory Supplies across selected countries in Africa, the Project Manager, Tolulope Oginni said, to ensure optimum utility of the laboratory supplies, eHealth Africa leverages previous and current experience in setting up and managing Emergency Operation Centers to strengthen the staff capacity at the Laboratories in operating the installed equipment.

“These interventions  for  the support for laboratory supply and installation with consumables currently ongoing in at least 12 African countries are expected to improve the labs functionality for faster outbreak detection”, he said. With the support of other stakeholders in the region, this intervention will support labs in the African region that are targeted for expansion of sequencing capacity, support to improve existing sequencing capacity, or labs that require support for virus isolation and identification. This intervention has a huge opportunity to explore collaboration with WHO and other global stakeholders to transform the laboratory infrastructure in Africa into world class facilities which in turn will significantly strengthen their capacity and preparedness for disease outbreaks.

IYD 2023: Achieving Green Tech Skills for Sustainable Health Sector - Atef Fawaz

The gospel of promoting environmental sustainability seems to have lasted as long as the human race, with the campaign taking different dimensions in different periods during the last decades. The apprehension about sudden change in temperatures in recent times has escalated precipitation leading to flood, amongst other negative impacts. It is more worrisome as the environmental situation is now being consistently aggravated by human activities, leading to a global concern that requires action from all .  Thus, this year’s International Youth Day with the theme; Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World, rightly mainstreams  the need to shift towards an environmentally sustainable and climate-friendly world.  This is not just crucial in promoting the global climate crisis but also relevant in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as it relates to health and other sectors; the role of young people in the entire process cannot be underestimated.

According to the United Nations Concept note for this year’s celebration, Green skills are “knowledge, abilities, values and attitudes needed to live in, develop and support a sustainable and resource-efficient society”. This holistically captures all technical knowledge and skills that enable the effective use of green technologies and processes in occupational settings, as well as transversal skills that draw on a range of knowledge, values and attitudes to facilitate environmentally sustainable decisions in work and in life. As confirmed by the  International Labour Organization (ILO), green skills transcends basic agriculture to any skill/job that contributes to the reduction  in the consumption of energy and raw materials, limit greenhouse gas emissions, minimize waste and pollution, protect and restore ecosystems and enable enterprises and communities to adapt to climate change.

It's even further interesting that, to a large extent, human jobs and survival largely depend on the sustainability of the natural environment. Thus there is a huge responsibility to take intentional steps that promote a sustainable environment. In this vein, stakeholders at all levels must galvanize the energy of young people towards achieving green skills to build a sustainable world across different sectors. 

Specifically, the health sector is taking notable leaps in developing and deploying digital innovations that have significantly reduced the use of paper in the health systems. This protects the trees, contributing to the SDGs of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being at all ages. Digital innovations like Logistics Management Information System (LoMIS),  a suite  of offline-capable mobile and web applications developed by eHealth Africa, addresses  challenges with the supply/distribution of health commodities to last-mile health facilities. The LoMIS Suite  applications provide critical solutions that ensure availability of health commodities, effective vaccine management, and enable broader health system policy decisions through the use of real data for insight and execution at the community, state and national level. Deployed in primary healthcare facilities in Kano, Sokoto and Bauchi, the solutions have  reduced the challenge of zero stock for vaccines due to effective automated documentation of vaccines and its consumables while also limiting the use of papers to promote sustainability in both environment and the health sector.   Progress recorded for  SDG Goal 3, reveals  global health has made some improvements in recent years. For example, 146 out of 200 countries or areas have already met or are on track to meet the SDG target on under-5 mortality.

Other environmental-friendly tools that have been used in the health sector in recent years include Geographic Information Systems (GIS);  particularly  in the area of vaccination and immunization programs. Geospatial tools that use environmental data however require stability of environmental conditions to ensure its optimal utility.

Thus there are a series of platforms that can be harnessed to achieve the objective of mainstreaming green skills amongst young people in line with the objective of this year’s commemorations. While healthcare stakeholders in concomitance with Information technology experts are increasingly scaling innovations to improve early detection and response to diseases, it is paramount to equip young healthcare providers especially at state and Local Government levels with the knowledge and information necessary to understand the importance of green skills to further promote sustainability in the sector.

This can be achieved through targeted training of budding experts in various sectors to build relevant skills that will enable them to contribute to achieving a sustainable world across sectors. A great example is the eHealth Africa Academy which has consistently built young people’s skills in website creation, software development and design that can be used to solve local problems across sectors to promote a sustainable world.

To complement existing efforts, governments at all levels have a huge responsibility to initiate and promote important policies that will encourage the learning and adoption of green skills especially by young people. Also, there is an urgent need to implement laws that encourage data protection and security during interphase between digital innovations and human beings.

Ultimately young people must understand that, as a critical demographic in the world right now, the success or failure of green transition will rely on them. As an intergenerational bridge between the younger and older generation, young people need to be well-equipped with green skills to successfully navigate this changing environment and leverage the opportunities that it presents for a more sustainable future.

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

Nurturing Work-Life Synergy: eHealth Africa's 'Bring Your Kids to Work' Program

Kids in diverse outfits beam with excitement during eHealth Africa's 'Bring Your Kids to Work Day' at the Kano HQ office.

By Favour Oriaku

The aspiration to prevent work from consuming all our time is a shared one. The idea of a clear boundary between work and personal life can be somewhat blurry as modern life has intertwined the two, demanding a new approach to create a fine synergy between them. Achieving this synergy would enrich personal lives and also foster a sense of equilibrium that can elevate work performance and overall well-being.

In an era where juggling professional commitments and family life has become increasingly complex, its significance cannot be overstated. The absence of work-life harmony negatively impacts employee performance, leading to reduced productivity and engagement. An example of an organization actively promoting work-life harmony was seen when eHealth Africa opened its doors for a unique event. "Bring Your Kids to Work Day"  showed eHealth Africa's commitment to being one of the best workplaces in Nigeria, prioritizing work-life harmony for its employees.

On the 4th of August, the eHealth Africa office came alive with excitement as little feet brought laughter and energy into the workspace. Parents and children embarked on a memorable journey together, participating in a meticulously planned day of activities. This initiative is a manifestation of eHealth Africa's belief that a happy workforce translates into a more productive one. Adesina Matti, the HR manager, expressed, "We want to create an experience that not only brings joy to the kids but also strengthens the bond between employees and their families. 'Bring Your Kids to Work Day' perfectly aligns with our commitment to a healthy work-life harmony and building stronger family connections within our workplace."

The event commenced with Fozia Malik, a member of the senior management team, warmly welcoming the children. She shared insights from her own life and career journey. Her motivational talk encouraged the kids to pursue their dreams with determination. The HR manager also addressed the young audience, introducing them to the organization's mission, vision, and work strategy.

The day was filled with activities designed to engage and inspire the young participants. Indoor games like 'concentration' and dancing chairs filled the air with excitement before transitioning to outdoor games, including a bouncing castle and a creative canvas painting competition. Face painting added an extra layer of fun, and the kids even had the opportunity to observe their parents at work, gaining insight into their daily routines and responsibilities.

The senior HR coordinator Regina Suowari, also stated: "Beyond providing children with a glimpse into their parents' work lives, today's event aimed to instill the value of education and empower them to envision and pursue their futures. The event also served as a bonding opportunity, allowing employees to connect on a more personal level as colleagues' children interacted and shared their aspirations."

The "Bring Your Kids to Work Day" initiative offered a unique opportunity for children to glimpse into the adult world of work. It demystified what their parents do during the day and provided a formative experience that could shape their own future career aspirations. The event served as an educational platform, teaching children the value of hard work, and teamwork, and perhaps sparked an early interest in fields they might not have been exposed to otherwise. It also allowed for a deeper emotional connection to be formed between parent and child, as they shared a special day together in a setting that is typically separate from family life.

In conclusion, eHealth Africa's "Bring Your Kids to Work Day" initiative achieved its vision of creating a remarkable experience for both employees and their families. The event re-echoes the possibility of harmonizing work and family life, cultivating a workplace culture that prioritizes employee well-being and engagement. As organizations worldwide seek ways to promote work-life harmony, eHealth Africa's example stands as an inspiring testament to the potential of such initiatives in nurturing a more harmonious and fulfilling work environment.

Watch the event highlight below:

eHealth Africa hosts the Insight Learning Forum 2023: Stakeholders Call for Interoperability and Institutionalization of Digital Health Innovations

By Moshood Isah

In recent years, there have been discussions to advance digital health innovations in a bid to tackle public health challenges especially in developing countries of the world. This has led to the proliferation of digital innovations in public health in a bid to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This was the focus of discussion at the multi-stakeholder Insight Learning Forum organized by eHealth Africa on Wednesday, 26th July,  with the theme "Digital Innovations in Public Health Practice: Lessons and Impact. The forum officially launches an annual country digital health learning event, bringing together professionals and practitioners in the digital and public health sectors to share experiences, insights, and knowledge regarding the use of digital health innovations in public health implementation.  

The Executive Director of eHealth Africa, Atef Fawaz stated the relevance of the gathering saying, “it encourages the sharing of ideas and knowledge in a bid to explore solutions that will transform the way projects are being delivered to improve the health sector”.  This is in line with Report of the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation that reveals that digital technologies have advanced more rapidly than any innovation in our history; reaching around 50 percent of the developing world’s population in only two decades and transforming societies. 

In his own remark, Deputy Director, Programs and Impact in Program Delivery at ehealth Africa David Akpan said “the maiden edition of the forum is to provide a platform for organizations to exhibit their solutions and subsequently, it will lead to potential interoperability, alignment and integration of these solutions.” This according to him will ensure that talks on digital innovations in Nigeria will be as entities rather than individual innovators.

The Global Digital Health Strategy (2022-2025) designed by the World Health Organisation stresses the standard practice that players in the health sector are supposed to help countries achieve. Further emphasizing the role of stakeholders and importance of collaborations like the Insight Forum Pharmacist Murtala Bello, Director,  Sokoto State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA)  said the meeting would present stakeholders with additional digital health solutions from other people so as to pick their interest to effectively utilize it to solve healthcare delivery service challenges.

The Insight Learning Forum presented an opportunity for organizations to showcase digital innovations which have been instrumental in disease surveillance, vaccine delivery in different parts of Nigeria and some parts of Africa. Some of the innovations demonstrated include the Logistics Management System (LoMIS), Vaccine Direct Delivery, enhancing HIV patients care, Laboratory Management Information System (LAMIS), IMMAP, among others.

The forum also featured a panel session where it dissects interoperability of Digital Health Innovations in Public Health across the African Region. The panelists featuring the Deputy Director, Global Health Informatics in ICT Services, Abdulhamid Yahaya from eHA, Evans Ondura, Deputy  Country Director DataFi and Emeka Chukwu, Senior Digital Advisor at Health Enabled emphasized the need to ensure a responsible African context sensitive digital solution and the need to develop solutions that distinctly provide solutions or enhance existing innovations.

From Novice to Software Engineer: Muflihat's Transformative Experience with eHA Academy

By Favour Oriaku

Introduction:

In today's digital era, technology plays a pivotal role in addressing local challenges and improving communities' well-being. Recognizing this, eHealth Africa (eHA) has taken on the mission to share knowledge and empower the next generation of tech enthusiasts in Africa. With over a decade of experience in developing and deploying digital solutions across the continent, eHA established the eHA Academy, a training arm that has been at the forefront of equipping aspiring individuals with software development skills for over four years now. In this blog post, we'll delve into the transformative journey of Muflihat Abdulmajid, a graduate of the eHA Academy, and how the program paved the way for a promising career in software engineering.

Unveiling the eHA Academy:

eHA Academy is a renowned program that offers free training to individuals throughout Africa, irrespective of their technical background. The program's primary focus is to equip participants with the necessary skills to create digital solutions that contribute to healthier communities. Spanning nine months, the program consists of two phases: three months of intensive in-class live sessions followed by a six-month internship. By combining engaging live sessions, videos, challenging assignments, and practical projects, students acquire both theoretical knowledge and real-world experience, setting them on the path to success.

Muflihat's Transformational Journey:

Muflihat Abdulmajid's story exemplifies the transformative impact of the eHA Academy. Initially skeptical due to a lack of computer science or engineering background, Muflihat hesitated to apply for the program. However, after realizing that a technical background was not a prerequisite, Muflihat took the leap of faith and applied, securing a spot in the cohort.

Reflecting on the training experience, Muflihat shared, "At first, it was quite fierce and challenging because I didn't have a computer background. However, the small wins of completing a challenging task and the support from fellow students kept me motivated." The rigorous curriculum, comprising live sessions, videos, and assignments, pushed Muflihat beyond her comfort zone, helping her develop a strong foundation in HTML, CSS, and Javascript.

Internship and Career Opportunities:

The journey didn't end with the completion of the eHA Academy program. Muflihat's dedication and newfound skills led to an internship offer from eHealth Africa's software department. This internship proved to be an invaluable opportunity to apply the knowledge gained during the program and work alongside experienced software developers. Muflihat recalls, "The internship sharpened my skills further and opened the door to a full-time role as an associate software engineer within the software department at eHealth Africa."

The Impact and Gratitude:

Muflihat's testimonial is a testament to eHA Academy's transformative impact on aspiring tech enthusiasts. "The eHA Academy course was the birth of my career as a software engineer," Muflihat shares. "The joy and fulfillment I now have, being part of a team building software solutions for public health interventions here at eHealth Africa, is compared to none."

Muflihat expresses gratitude to the eHA Academy team, mentors, and tutors for their dedicated efforts in shaping her professional journey. "I will forever be grateful to the eHA Academy team, the mentors and tutors who have put in effort in shaping me into who I have now become and for grooming young Africans in the tech ecosystem."

Conclusion:

eHA Academy's commitment to empowering the next generation of tech enthusiasts in Africa has led to remarkable success stories like that of Muflihat Abdulmajid. By providing free training, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical experience, and fostering career opportunities, the program serves as a vital stepping stone for aspiring tech enthusiasts. Through eHA Academy, eHealth Africa continues to nurture young African talent, enabling them to make significant contributions to their communities and beyond.

Tackling Nigeria's Zero Dose Challenge: The Final Push with Geospatial Tracking

By Nnenna Ohiaeri

Introduction

In 2020, Nigeria was declared wild polio-free after meeting the requirements to attain the status, which includes 3 years without any new cases of wild poliovirus in the country1. Prior to achieving this milestone, Nigeria was one of only three countries in the wild with endemic wild polio. GIS (Geographic Information System) tracking was first implemented in Nigeria’s Polio program in 2012 with eHA’s Vaccination Tracking project (VTS). VTS was decommissioned in 2020, just after Nigeria was declared Polio free. 

Our Intervention

Since 2022, eHA has been providing GIS tracking support to the polio outbreak campaigns in security-compromised locations with the Polio Special Intervention project, which is part of a key focus area of eHA - Public Health Emergency Response Systems. The purpose of this project is to support the efforts to improve the Polio outbreak response in Nigeria, with a focus on circulating variant poliovirus type 2, cVPV2, using the new Geospatial Tracking System (GTS) application to track vaccination teams. 

“Special Intervention”, in this context, refers to the security-compromised nature of the implementing states. Due to banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism, several settlements in these states are either inaccessible or partially accessible. Vaccine-eligible children residing in these areas are denied access to their necessary vaccinations such as the Polio vaccine due to the insecurity posed by these activities. Accessing these communities means reaching the missed children and protecting the communities from disease outbreaks and securing a truly polio-free Nigeria. The project is being implemented in 57 local government areas (LGAs) with security-compromised settlements, in 7 priority states- Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara. 

Geospatial Tracking System (GTS) was introduced by Novel-T after the decommissioning of the VTS application. The GTS application is a “lightweight” version of the VTS and was first piloted in Borno State in 2020 and is currently being used on this Polio Special Intervention project.

The GTS application is used to monitor vaccination teams and report daily missed settlements based on the DIPs (daily implementation plans) of a campaign. The process flow is displayed below:

Results

Since the inception of the project, the eHA-led activity has had a significant impact on the polio campaign implementation. Between September 2022 to May 2023, eHA has supported 66 LGAs with GIS tracking across the 7 implementing states. 3,953 settlements with vaccine-eligible children have been verified to have been visited by the vaccination teams during 2 rounds of polio campaign implementation in the states, using GTS trackers, and 1,664 vaccination teams were tracked during the campaigns. 

Field technical teams were deployed to each implementing LGA to support the campaign. 66 LGA consultants were trained on the administration and operation of the GTS application.  The consultants built the capacity of the LGA team on GIS tracking with trainings on GTS and the handling of the trackers. This was necessary to make sure that the vaccination teams are fully equipped and knowledgeable enough to successfully implement GIS tracking during the campaigns. Data collection activities were also conducted during the campaigns to obtain the geo-coordinates of settlements that are not on the Polio geodatabase (GDB). 69 data collectors were trained on the use of the KoboCollect application to collect geo-coordinate data in the field. This data collection ensured that the visitation of the planned settlements by the vaccination teams could be verified.

Conclusion

GIS tracking has helped increase vaccination coverage throughout the 7 priority states where it was implemented. In addition to increased coverage, GIS tracking also provided data-driven insights for decision-making. It increases the quality of campaign implementation and improves accountability, by validating the tally sheet reports generated by the vaccination teams. GIS tracking can be utilized beyond polio programming to support other vaccination initiatives by improving vaccination coverage and in turn, boosting Nigeria’s immunization indices.

Training of LGA team in Rijau LGA of Niger state on the GTS application and handling of the trackers

Engagement meeting with the Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency team 

L-R : Basheerdeen Abdullahi (eHA State Coordinator), Mohammed Alhaji Usman (State Health Educator), Abubakar Shehu (Program Manager, eHA), Kpantus Abubakar (State Immunization Officer), and Nnenna Ohiaeri (Project Manager, eHA)

Digital Health Innovations Will Revolutionize Anti-malaria Fight - Expert

Dr Dennis H. Marke speaks on how digital health innovations will revolutionize anti-malaria fight

By Moshood Isah

As part of effort and advocacy to achieve Zero Malaria by 2030, experts have continued to call stakeholders in the health sector to intensify the adoption and deployment of digital health innovations for the fight against malaria especially in the African region. This is in line with the 2023 Malaria Day theme; time to deliver Zero Malaria: invest, innovate, implement. 

To commemorate World Malaria Day 2023, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had urged countries affected by malaria globally to accelerate the reach of high-impact tools and strategies to prevent, detect and treat malaria, with a focus on reaching the most vulnerable, ensuring that no one is left behind. 

According to the World Health Organisation, there were an estimated 247 million cases of malaria worldwide in 2021 with over 600,000 malaria deaths yearly. Unfortunately, the  African Region is reportedly home to 95% of malaria cases and 96% of malaria deaths with  Children under 5 accounting for about 80% of all malaria deaths in the Region.

Despite continued effort to eradicate malaria, the parasite remains a challenge especially amongst children. This is largely due to rising resistance to insecticide-treated nets and to antimalarial drugs particularly in Africa according to the World Health Organisation. It is more than ever imperative to deploy innovative ways  to combat the parasite which is why stakeholders are now turning towards the use of digital tools. Adoption and deployment of innovative digital tools have helped in early detection, improved diagnosis and potentially better treatment of Malaria parasites in the predominantly affected locations.  

For instance, Lomis, an offline logistic management tool was custom-built by eHealth Africa for the Seasonal Malaria Campaign (SMC)  in Borno, Nigeria. The platform was used to support the distribution of malaria commodities, including insecticide treated nets (ITNs), malaria diagnostic kits, and antimalarial drugs. Through the  platform,  government and development partners were able to track the distribution of malaria commodities from the national level down to the health facility level.  Plainfield is another eHealth Africa's digital solution- a mobile and web-based application that helps you plan field logistics for public health interventions. It is deployed for malaria campaigns to ensure better planning, tracking of teams, data collection, and coverage with geospatial tools. Other tools proving to be important in fighting malaria especially in the area of logistics management and distributon, include CommCare, Redrose, Reveal  amongst others.

Speaking during Insights- a public health webinar hosted by eHealth Africa, medical expert, Dr Dennis Marke, a clinician and program manager, Systems strengthening  in the ministry of Health and Science and  National Malaria control program in  Sierra Leone reiterated the need to strengthen public private partnership to improve the fight against malaria through improved access to medical information, communication and health application in issues around malaria control. 

The webinar series tagged; insight titled “Time to Deliver Zero Malaria: Investing in Sustainable Digital Health Innovations," fosters conversations with professionals within the public health space. During the discussion, Dr Dennis said digital health tools have proven instrumental in the seemingly unending antimalaria fight in the region. 

According to him, mobile based innovations through SMS messages have between 70-80% penetration in Sierra Leone and have been effective in reaching out to the population about the symptoms of Malaria and need for testing. He gave an instance saying, "in the 2017 mass campaign, we used rocket pro mobile applications to track the supply of medical equipment and drugs at our peripheral health units".

Dr Dennis also mentioned other forms of digital tools like Solar Power Mosquito Trap; District Health Information System(DHIS) amongst others,  that have been instrumental in laboratory analysis, research, surveillance and  tracking of health interventions even in remote communities.

While admitting the existing challenge of Internet connectivity in some hard to reach communities he said, "you can have this technology sitting out there and if the cell phone penetration is the hardest to reach, the marginalized communities are not covered, that's a huge challenge". He called for proper coordination in delivering digital health interventions, through effective mapping of digital health partners to identify their areas of  strength. This according to him will ensure unity of purpose and to ensure all partners work towards achieving the overall goal of fighting against malaria.

Insights is a Public Health webinar series hosted by eHealth Africa. The webinar series enables conversation with public health professionals to establish eHealth Africa as a thought leader in the Public Health space, create visibility for the organization and create new opportunities for business opportunities for the organization within the public health space. 

Shaping the Future of Healthcare Access in Africa: Abigail Ayogu's Story

By Favour Oriaku

Abigail Ayogu’s story is one of passion, dedication, and commitment to making a positive impact in Africa's healthcare sector through technology. As a UI/UX designer at eHealth Africa, she plays a crucial role in building digital health solutions that improve healthcare access and outcomes for millions of people on the continent. 

Abigail's journey began when she discovered her passion for UI/UX design during her studies in Computer Science at Baze University, Abuja. She has since worked in various industries, honing her skills and experience in design and technology, including healthcare, where she found her true calling.

At eHealth Africa, Abigail's focus is on designing user interfaces and user experiences that are intuitive, user-friendly, and accessible to diverse users across the continent. Her human-centered approach involves understanding the needs and constraints of users and developing solutions that solve their problems effectively.

One of Abigail's notable achievements is her work on the Electronic Management of Immunization Data (EMID) platform. She designed and prototyped a robust mobile application for managing COVID-19 vaccination records in Nigeria within a short timeline.

The platform's publicly-accessible vaccination registration and verification system promotes transparency and timely vaccinations, making it a critical tool in the fight against the pandemic.

For Abigail, the most rewarding aspect of her work is seeing the solutions she designs in the hands of the people they were intended for, solving their problems, and making their lives better. "For me, it’s an indescribable feeling seeing my solution in the hands of the people it was designed for as they use it seamlessly, and seeing how it fits well into their workflow, solving the problems it was designed to solve. That feeling of making a positive impact is something I truly cherish," says Abigail when asked what she finds most rewarding about her work at eHA.

She is committed to staying current with the latest trends and best practices in UI/UX design, taking online courses, reading design books, and keeping up with local and international design and product communities.

Abigail is also passionate about empowering young girls and women to pursue careers in STEM, specifically in UI/UX design. Abigail has this advice: "It is worth it, and it is fulfilling to pursue a career in design and tech. To be successful, you need to put in the work, stay curious and always be willing to learn. Make sure to network and build relationships within the industry, and find a mentor who can guide you."

As we celebrate International Day of Girls in ICT, Abigail Ayogu's story is a reminder of the critical role that women and girls play in shaping the future of healthcare access in Africa. Her dedication, passion, and commitment to making a positive impact in the world through technology serve as an inspiration to all.

Revolutionizing Malaria Interventions in Nigeria: 5 Digital Tools Leading the Fight

By Judith Owoicho

Several factors may account for why malaria is so common in Nigeria which bears up to 25% of the malaria burden in sub-Saharan Africa. It remains a significant health concern. In 2021,  the country accounted for 31% of global deaths from the disease. Control of malaria is often hinged on global strategies,  including prompt and effective case management, intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) of malaria in pregnancy, and integrated vector management (IVM): use of insecticide-treated nets (ITN), indoor residual spraying (IRS), and environmental management (EM), all of which have been employed at varying degrees to combat the disease.

Efforts made over the years were further stalled in the first year of the pandemic which saw a rise in malaria cases and deaths. With at least half of the world's population at risk of contracting malaria, it is critical to continually explore new interventions to prevent and treat the disease.

 So far, insecticidal-treated nets have proven to be the most effective way of preventing malaria and reducing death rates in Nigeria. However, their distribution to the last mile is often a challenge. To overcome this challenge, several organizations have turned to technology and digital tools to enhance the efficiency of malaria intervention programs. Here are five innovative tools that have been predominantly used:

LoMIS

Lomis is an offline logistic management tool custom-built by eHealth Africa for the Seasonal Malaria Campaign (SMC)  in Borno, Nigeria. The platform was used to support the distribution of malaria commodities, including insecticidal treated nets (ITNs), malaria diagnostic kits, and antimalarial drugs. Through the  platform,  government and development partners were able to track the distribution of malaria commodities from the national level down to the health facility level. The tracking system ensures that malaria commodities are delivered to the right places at the right time, and that stock-outs are minimized. It also ensures  that malaria commodities are not lost or stolen during transportation and that they are stored properly at health facilities. It has improved data management and reporting in the malaria sector in Nigeria.

Planfeld

Plainfield is eHealth Africa's digital solution- a mobile and web-based application that helps you plan field logistics for public health interventions. It is deployed for malaria campaigns to ensure better planning, tracking of teams, data collection, and coverage with geospatial tools. Micro planning is done based on the geospatial listing of settlements from the Nigeria data portal: mapping information and can be auto-generated to estimate the appropriate number and distribution of teams to effectively implement activities within specified days across selected settlements or locations. The planning is carried out at the local government administrative level for each ward/district to be covered. GIS-enabled mobile devices are deployed to every ward/district where malaria activities are to be implemented. GPS tracks and location data are collected, via passive and active monitoring respectively. These geospatial datasets are analyzed via automated systems to determine which settlements are reached and the proportion of settlement areas that have been covered. With the use of the Planfeld during the seasonal malaria chemoprevention campaign in  2020, coverage of all 27 LGAs in Born was achieved, reaching over 2 million children.

CommCare

CommCare is a digital platform that has been used to support the distribution of insecticidal-treated nets (ITNs) to hard-to-reach areas. Through the platform, community health workers (CHWs) can register households and distribute ITNs, recording data on the location, number of nets distributed, and the size of the household. This information is then sent to a centralized server, where it can be monitored and evaluated for effectiveness. CommCare has also been utilized to support the treatment of malaria. CHWs can use the platform to diagnose and treat malaria in the community, recording data on the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up visits. In addition to ITN distribution, CommCare has also been used to support behavior change communication (BCC) campaigns to educate communities on the prevention of malaria, delivering educational messages to individuals and communities, providing them with the information they need to protect themselves from the disease. Commcare has been used in 130 countries for several interventions including malaria.

Reveal

Reveal is a global good and an open-source platform that uses spatial intelligence to drive the delivery of life-saving interventions. Reveal has played a critical role in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of malaria interventions, particularly in the areas of data collection, analysis, and reporting. It has been used to collect data on the distribution of insecticidal treated nets (ITNs), malaria diagnosis and treatment, and other malaria interventions. Community health workers (CHWs)  use the platform to record data on the number of ITNs distributed, the number of people tested and treated for malaria, and other key indicators. It also generates automated reports on the status of malaria interventions, including ITN distribution, malaria diagnosis and treatment, and other key indicators. The platform can also generate alerts and notifications, highlighting areas where interventions may be falling short. It has also been integrated with national health information systems, allowing for data to be shared across different levels of the health system. This integration enables program managers and policymakers to monitor the effectiveness of malaria interventions at a national level.

RedRose

RedRose is a mobile-based platform that provides real-time monitoring and evaluation of malaria programs, allowing for tracking progress and identifying areas for improvement. It enables health workers to collect data in real-time using mobile devices including information on the number of ITNs distributed, the number of malaria cases diagnosed and treated, and the number of pregnant women who received intermittent preventive treatment for malaria. This real-time data collection helps to quickly identify challenges and respond to them before they escalate. Its digital mapping capabilities allow for the identification of areas with high malaria burden and prioritizes interventions accordingly. The platform can also be used to map the distribution of ITNs, ensuring that they reach the last mile. It includes an SMS reminder feature, which sends reminders to health workers and patients on important tasks and appointments. This feature helps to ensure that patients receive timely care and that health workers stay on top of their tasks. 

The use of digital tools for malaria control in Nigeria may face several challenges, including technical and implementation challenges, as well as limitations in reach. Addressing these challenges will be essential for the successful integration of digital tools into malaria control efforts. However, the use of digital tools for malaria control in Nigeria has great potential to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of malaria. Other areas needing a closer look may be to identify and address the challenges and limitations of digital tools and to maximize their potential for malaria control in Nigeria.

How Digital Tools Connect Rural Populations with Modern Diagnostics and Treatment for Tuberculosis (TB)

By Judith Owoicho

Tuberculosis is a big burden in Africa. The region accounts for more than half of the 30 high-burden TB countries worldwide. In 2020, at least half a million lives were sadly lost to this curable and preventable disease in Africa.  

Efforts have been made in funding and creating more testing and diagnostic options, however, in many rural villages in Africa,  access to modern diagnostics facilities is a significant challenge that results in delayed diagnosis, inadequate treatment, and poor health outcomes for tuberculosis. Lack of the necessary infrastructure and resources, such as electricity, water, and transportation, to set up and operate modern diagnostic facilities continue to impede the elimination of tuberculosis in the region. More effort is required to connect rural populations with central modern diagnostics facilities for TB/HIV diagnostics and care.

Digital technology has shown significant potential in advancing disease surveillance, monitoring, management, and care. It is being applied in innovative ways to help overcome barriers to prevention, detection, treatment, and management of infectious diseases including tuberculosis, to promote treatment adherence, support learning and knowledge dissemination progress in low and middle-income countries. One of such technologies is the Health Telematics Infrastructure (HTI).

Bridging the gap between rural population and urban diagnostic facilities

eHealth Africa worked with the Charité University of Medicine to design HTI, a digital solution to improve, analyze, and evaluate the diagnosis and treatment of TB and HIV. It was implemented in St. Francis Referral Hospital (SFRH), Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) in Ifakara, and Kilombero District, Central Tanzania. The system is a low-cost open-source software solution that captures data, tracks samples, and provides healthcare workers and patients with real-time feedback via SMS. With this digital platform, nurses can access a TB Diagnostics Dashboard on an android phone to view patients' information and make decisions based on their test results. Patients or disease suspects are registered using an OpenDataKit form template, while sputum/blood samples are labeled with pre-printed QR codes to track shipment status from collection to the central diagnostic facility. Laboratory staff enter the test results into the HTI database, and rural healthcare staff/patients are informed about the availability of test results via SMS messages.  So, Instead of patients traveling to facilities, samples and information are transported and managed by the HTI system, which works under low-bandwidth and unstable internet conditions, anywhere with at least 2G coverage. 

Overall, the system significantly shortened the previously long turnaround time from first symptom until treatment initiation, it eliminated the paper based workflow and delayed information transmission replacing it with a digital workflow. It shortened the long distance to the molecular test facility by providing mechanisms for village level tests and it eliminated the high financial burden by moving samples and data  instead of patients.

Community engagement and involvement

Digital tools such as the HTI offer viable solutions to the challenges faced by rural communities, enabling them to access high-quality healthcare regardless of their location. To ensure the success of digital solutions especially in rural communities, it is important to involve local communities in the planning and implementation process. Community engagement can help to identify the specific needs and challenges faced by rural populations, as well as the most effective ways to address them. In rural Tanzania, there was awareness creation for the communities and in addition, capacity building for community health workers. This ensured that more cases of TB were identified and the rapid spread of the disease curtailed. By involving local communities and organizations in the process, we can ensure the success of these initiatives and work towards a future where all populations have access to modern diagnostics facilities for effective management and control of infectious diseases.