How Africa's Digital Health Services Are Benefiting Patients

With rising internet connectivity, African governments are turning to digital health services to handle a shortage of health workers -- and to better connect rural communities. But not everyone is quick on the uptake, writes Martina Schwikowski for Deutsche Welle.

Ensuring accessibility of health services remains a huge challenge for many African countries. According to the World Health Organization, Africa has an average of three doctors per 10,000 people -- compared with Germany which has 84 doctors per 10,000 people.

In African countries, health centers are often far away, equipment is insufficient and services are expensive, according to the Global Perspectives Initiative, a German NGO that works to develop new approaches toward fulfilling the UN's sustainable development goals.

Health insurance is rare in Africa, where many people have to pay for medical services themselves. In this context, digital services help to further reduce costs such as traveling long distances to visit doctors.