How healthcare innovations can build stronger, resilient economies

Healthy societies lead to thriving  economies. A salient lesson from the Coronavirus pandemic is that threats to human health can lead to global economic stagnation.  The days of lockdowns and social distancing now feel ancient, thanks to medical innovations.  Overcoming this public health crisis meant resources, and human ingenuity had to to be poured into developing treatments for symptoms and billions of dollars be invested to develop vaccines.

Medical innovations enabled economies to reopen while saving millions of lives. The lessons we take from past experiences can and should inform our approach to public health before more health emergencies emerge.

The outlook for East Africa is positive, despite regional challenges, according to a report from Duke University. This high growth potential, it argues, is thanks to growing populations and incomes. Places like Kenya stand out as examples of the progress that is possible when new technologies and medicine intersect.

Investors and innovators can be more successful if they seize upon three key trends in the realm of novel medical products.

Technologies that improve the quality and efficiency of care

The post-pandemic health sector in East Africa is undergoing significant changes. States, private actors and citizens are now sharply aware of the role of good health in our economies. Opportunities are plentiful as tools like artificial intelligence (AI) and ehealth innovations make their way into our everyday lives.

Developing countries are challenged by the large distances between hospitals and communities. This adversely affects mothers and young children because it can delay care until it is too late.

Jacaranda Health is a standout solution from Kenya. Their PROMPTS helpdesk uses mobile messages to track pregnancies from the first prenatal appointment to antenatal care. Mothers interact with this platform through sms, while AI identifies, flags and refers mothers to a clinic or a local councillor if there could be a problem. This delivers affordable maternal care and child birthing services for under $100 per birth. mothers get regular information about danger signs they need to be aware of like bleeding, headaches, or swelling and they are given milestones to ensure the safe development of their baby.

Lower levels of digital literacy, particularly in rural areas, can limit a patient’s ability to use eHealth platforms. Clinics and hospitals also need appropriate ICT infrastructure and staff training to successfully implement eHealth solutions like Jacaranda’s. Reports suggest that investing in a networked model can assist in upgrading infrastructure and providing training for effective eHealth services.

Patient and provider networks that make healthcare affordable

Universal health coverage (UHC) is increasingly seen as a way to improve health systems. The success of these policy initiatives is, however, constrained by economic factors and shrinking healthcare budgets. Forcing those on the ground to do more with less resources. One way to get around this problem is to pool the supply of healthcare into networks that use economies of scale to lower costs and increase access. For this network approach to succeed, health officials must adopt evidence-based approaches when deciding how health services are distributed and paid for.

An example of inefficient spending was found by Kenyan researchers, who flagged that tertiary and secondary hospitals receive 70% of health budgets despite more patients using primary facilities. Hub and Spoke models offered by innovators like LiveWell clinics can offer some inspiration for change. 

Like the hub and spokes found on a wheel, central or hub facilities give comprehensive primary health care, including laboratory, pharmacy and dental services. The spoke clinics can then serve  hub facilities by handling basic healthcare services and lead to more efficient clinic operations. When supported by digitised patient records, all facilities in the network will have up to date patient information when people arrive at any hospital for treatment. Digital systems can enhance claims processing and allow health departments to make sure providers keep services affordable.

Sustainability in healthcare

A common challenge East Africa faces is the shrinking pool of medical professionals in the country. Some push factors, like opportunities to work in more developed markets are out of the health sector’s control, but alleviating over burdened facilities can help retain staff by creating attractive work environments and manageable workloads.

We know that The region has an average of 0.2 physicians per 1 000 people – creating a sustainability challenge in regional health systems. Patient treatment, and therefore their pending return to work, is delayed while they try to recover.

Novel technologies like wearable health monitors, can shift a society’s mind-set towards preventative health care if they are educated on how to use devices. Combined with digital records of health systems, doctors can use AI models to interpret health data ahead of time and catch an illness before it requires serious treatment, decreasing the time doctors take to diagnose and treat. A recent case study from the United Arab Emirates, for instance, showed that AI-supported breast cancer screenings found 20% more cancers when compared to traditional mammograms.

Long-term healthcare sustainability can only be ensured with policy reviews and incentivised training that gets more professionals into health facilities. However, patients requiring treatment for life-threatening illnesses  should not have to wait for technology that can deliver swift care today.

Meetings that value healthcare innovation

These case studies and the broader trends they fit in, show the positive impact technology can have on East African health systems and economies. By hosting innovators like  LG, Dedalus, Precision UK, Woodmans Meditech and facilitating their engagements with top East African health officials, and medical associations, we can spark conversations about the crucial investments in medical technologies. Our meeting promises to provide the biggest international platform for healthcare investments in East Africa. We proudly support healthcare innovations that lead to a prosperous health sector.

The author, Amogh Wadwalkar, is the Exhibition Director at Medic East Africa.