“Doctors will not be replaced by AI. Doctors will be replaced by other doctors enabled by AI,” stated Dr Amit Thakker on the opening day of the 3rd edition of the Africa HealthTech Summit (AHTS) that took place in November, 2024 in Kigali, Rwanda.
Dr Thakker’s statement was an inspiring start to the Summit, a powerful convergence of tech visionaries, health leaders, investors, academics and policymakers, rallying around one theme: Innovating for Community Health: Unleashing the Power of AI. The theme’s focus was technology as a catalyst for equitable health care access in Africa through AI-enabled resilient health systems.
I share my key takeaways from this pivotal event, viewed through the lens of our work at VillageReach.
1. A Collective Push Toward Inclusive Digital Health
Africa’s health care landscape is at a tipping point and there is a collective drive to use technology to close the equity gap. From drone-delivered medical supplies to community health apps, the summit underscored the transformative potential of tech to break down barriers.
VillageReach echoes this ambition—our programs use innovation to bring services to under-reached communities. Yet, there was a recurring emphasis on the “digital divide,” indicating that while technology can accelerate health care access, connectivity gaps, affordability and digital literacy remain real obstacles we must address.
2. Data-Driven Solutions and the Power of Evidence
The role of data in driving health care improvements was a central theme at the summit. Health leaders spoke on leveraging analytics to do a lot: from outbreak prediction to optimizing supply chains. Yet, a common challenge resonated—turning big data into actionable intelligence that can reach last-mile communities.
VillageReach’s work, such as using OpenLMIS to improve vaccine distribution, highlights how data-driven approaches can make an outsized impact. However, what is clear is that our systems must be robust, interoperable and intuitive for frontline workers.
3. Cross-Sector Collaboration: A Model for Success
The summit was a testament to the magic that happens when sectors unite. Public and private entities, tech startups and global health organizations are finding novel ways to partner. One example discussed was digital financing models that support health innovation—an area where VillageReach could amplify our impact by joining forces with technology investors and funders. Our collaborations with governments, especially in co-creating national health information systems, are a step forward in scaling meaningful innovations.
4. Building a Skilled Workforce for the Future
A major conversation area was the urgent need to invest in digital health talent across the continent. Speakers emphasized how Africa’s youthful population could become a powerhouse for health tech if nurtured with the right training and opportunities.
For VillageReach, this resonates deeply; our ongoing work in training health care workers in digital health tools is vital for long-term success. Moreover, workforce development isn’t just about tech know-how; it’s about empowering people to think critically and adapt to new challenges.
I was privileged to sit in a panel of esteemed peers to discuss smarter approaches to capacity building the workforce on digital health at scale. During the session, organized by Population Services International, AMREF and the West African Institute of Public Health as part of the Workforce Development flagship initiative, we explored innovative strategies to enhance workforce capacity in digital health across Africa and identify scalable and efficient approaches to strengthen the digital health workforce.
The session was moderated by Dr Francis Ohanyido, FAPH (West African Institute of Public Health), and included Dr Anthony Fortune (Assistant Minister for Vital Statistics, Liberia MOH), Carlos Yerena (Reach Digital Health), Monica Amponsah (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH), Steven Wanyee (IntelliSOFT Consulting Ltd), and Prof Philip Cotton (University of Global Health Equity).
5. Ethics and Responsible Tech Innovation
AI and machine learning have captured the imagination of health tech innovators. Yet, ethical considerations were top of mind at the summit. How can we ensure that AI tools do not entrench biases or leave behind marginalized populations?
VillageReach is committed to responsible innovation, ensuring that new technologies enhance the abilities of health care workers rather than replace essential human interaction. A forward-thinking, human-centered approach remains critical in ensuring ethical approaches are applied when leveraging AI to enhance health systems.
6. Resilience and Adaptive Leadership
Finally, the Summit recognized the resilience of Africa’s health sector amid global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent mpox and Marburg virus outbreaks. Leaders stressed the importance of agile and adaptive governance to support health tech adoption. These outbreaks have taught us all that adaptability can save lives.
Building on this lesson, VillageReach focuses on creating flexible, scalable digital health platforms that enable governments and supporting partners to build responsible primary health care systems that (i) are AVAILABLE when and where needed, even for the hardest-to-reach communities, (ii) are ADAPTABLE to changes in demand and better absorb shocks and stresses and (iii) that routinely factor and RESPOND to the needs and preferences of under-reached communities.
The Africa HealthTech Summit served as a clarion call: we are collectively on the path toward a more digitally connected and health-equitable Africa, but the journey requires relentless collaboration, ethical innovation and unwavering commitment to people-centered approaches. VillageReach is proud to be part of this unfolding story, leveraging technology to bridge health equity.