Minister Calls for Adoption of Technology to Address Africa’s Healthcare Challenges

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy of Nigeria, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has advocated for a sweeping technological transformation to confront the critical healthcare issues plaguing Africa. 

The Minister spoke at a breakfast event organized by GAVI and co-hosted by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and Zipline during the just concluded World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The Minister stressed the importance of creating ecosystems that can support and scale innovation to address the challenges faced in Africa. He points to the example of Rwanda, where the government laid the foundation and provided an ecosystem that drove innovation, leading to the successful implementation of solutions to address challenges in the country.

One of the key issues highlighted is the need for more connectivity in many regions. Despite the presence of numerous facilities, they are often not connected, thus hindering the potential for development. There is, therefore, the need to pay attention to the ecosystem that will enable and facilitate development, ensuring that the necessary infrastructure supports investments. 

The adoption of health technologies comes at the back of Zipline’s recently introduced drone technology for distributing essential medical commodities to health facilities in Nigeria. So far, Kaduna, Cross River, and Bayelsa states have partnered with the global drone technology company, Zipline, to airlift all essential medical products, including vaccines, blood, and other medicines, to several communities.

A distance of about three hours by road is covered in less than 35 minutes by the Zipline drones. Zipline has successfully demonstrated that its instant delivery system can significantly improve the quality of care, patient outcomes, and satisfaction of healthcare givers. This explains why many governments consider the Zipline technology suitable within the aerial logistic ecosystem, making life much easier.

Tijani believes that investments like that of Zipline need to be lauded as a significant driver of technology and its use to foster development. By investing in the necessary infrastructure and creating supportive ecosystems, Africa can effectively address its challenges and accelerate its development”.

The event, under the theme, ‘Innovation at Scale: Ensuring Health and Prosperity’ had other key figures sharing their insights on leveraging technology and innovation to address Africa’s challenges. 

Contributors emphasised the growing consensus on the critical role of technology and innovation in addressing Africa’s challenges and ensuring health and prosperity. The discussions underscored the need for collaborative efforts to leverage technology, empower governments, and prioritize investments in healthcare and vaccine development to drive positive change across the continent.