Dear subscriber,
Healthcare today is clearly not what it once was. When dealing with the impact of climate changes, doctors and nurses now work alongside community workers and satellites.
Treezer Michelle Atieno - Editor
Satellite technology looks like it can enable a breakthrough in tracking climate-related health risks and guide disease surveillance in Africa. Apart from tracking diseases directly, satellite data tracks environmental changes that drive disease and disaster risk. This can help predict disease outbreaks and plan emergency responses.
According to a new study led by Dr Dhritiraj Sengupta, satellite imagery is currently used to monitor air pollution, track dengue fever, cholera outbreaks and map areas vulnerable to floods and heatwaves.
The use of satellite and environmental data in health research has expanded from just two studies in 1991 to 266 in 2024. With proper investment, the information is invaluable in supporting public health decision-making.
Our take: Satellite imagery can only help if health partners make environmental data part of public health infrastructure…Read more (2 min)
Community Health Promoters (CHPs) use digital health tools to streamline data collection and health communication. While digital health tools have improved their work, Dr. Grace Miheso, a public health expert explains in an interview that CHPs are also key to solving two of the biggest challenges to implementing digital health, digital literacy and trust.
“A CHP is, in most cases, the first point of contact for many households in rural areas. They are the familiar face people trust. This makes them central to digital health. They bring it to the doorstep and help families understand why it matters. Coupled with digital literacy, which they help with at local levels, they help build trust in the system.” Says Dr. Grace Miheso.
Digital health in many ways holds the key to getting healthcare ready for climate change in Africa. Dr. Miheso explains that CHPs need continuous training and a strong work support system to help implement digital health.
Read the full Q&A…Read more (2 min)
In the month of October, four healthcare startups in Africa raised a total of $6 million. That’s marginally higher (by $100,000) than last month. Docline and Ades secured venture capital of $5.2 million and $600,000 respectively. NuvoteQ and Waspito received grants worth $100,000 each from the Alibaba Foundation.
For the first time this year, digital clinical trials tech was funded. NuvoteQ, a company that offers a range of software products designed to empower clinical and pharmaceutical research organisations, received funding in September. The rest provide telemedicine services.
Funding was spread across southern (NuvoteQ), central (Waspito), western (Ades) and northern Africa (Docline).
Our take: Tools that strengthen Africa’s clinical research capacity are critical for the continent’s pharmaceutical future…Read more (2 min)
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(Source: PATH)
The European Union and Nigeria sign deals to boost local manufacturing of pharmaceuticals
Events
🗓️ Participate in the Second AI in Health Africa Conference in Uganda (November 6)
🗓️ Attend the Conference on Medical Product Regulation in Kenya (November 11)
🗓️ Attend the Conference on Drugs and Potency in Kenya (November 14)
Jobs
🧑⚕️ Be a Medical Representative at Aspen (Kenya)
🧑⚕️ Become a Junior Medical Lab Technician at PATH24 (SA)
🧑⚕️ Be a Senior Health Advocacy Officer at Gates Foundation (Kenya)
Various
💉World Bank expands health security program to Central Africa
💉 SA launches an action plan to tackle fake medical products
💉 WHO donates medical equipment to Uganda
Seen on LinkedIn
Ifunanya Ilodibe, a Senior Global Health Specialist, says, “We often talk about “fixing” healthcare in Africa. But what if the real opportunity isn’t in fixing but in reimagining, in trusting the systems, people, and potential that already exist here?”_________________