By Kebba AF Touray
Hon. Kassam
Dr. Jacob Kassam, a former Member of Plateau State’s House of Assembly in Nigeria, said a total of US$170 Million, equivalent to eleven billion, five hundred and sixty million Dalasi (D11,560,000,000), was invested in Africa’s Health Technology in 2022.
Hon. Jacob said this on Wednesday, 4 September 2024 during a de-localized meeting of the ECOWAS Parliament currently underway in Guinea Conakry, by the Community Parliament’s joint committee on Health, Education, Science and Culture, Telecommunications and Information Technology and Industry and Private Sector.
“In 2022, $170 million was invested in the African health technology sector, according to Salient Advisory,” Dr Jacob said, adding that the impact of information and communication technology (ICTs) is being felt in many parts of sub-Saharan, Southern, Eastern, and Western Africa.
He, however, said that many African countries may be lagging behind the rest of the globe in terms of technology. He said sub-Saharan Africa is one of the regions on the globe with the greatest growth in technology infrastructure and the largest amount of ICT in education initiatives.
The presentation, he said, will enable members of the Community Parliament to have an overview of the gaps identified and to be able to develop practicable measures vis a vis legislative instruments capable of strengthening the existing frameworks. This, he said, is to ensure that a comprehensive joint plan of action is formulated in the presence of a robust application of telecommunications and information technology in enhancing health education and services within the West African Sub-region.
Dr Jacob said telecommunications has played an important role in health care delivery for several years; long before the COVID pandemic, and has made tele-health the new “norm” nationwide.
Beyond simply performing medical consultations on the telephone, Dr Jacob explained that telecommunications will continue to be a key foundational element for health care delivery and innovation for many years to come.
“Today, connectivity and device performance are at the forefront of what’s next for hospitals, private practices, and patient information security,” he said.
Thus, he added that education in the areas of sexual and reproductive health contributes to the prevention of HIV and other STIs and the promotion of healthy lifestyles and gender equality.
Dilating on the overview of telecommunications and information technology in promoting health education services in Africa, Dr Jacob said a survey conducted on the use of advanced information and communications technology to advance oncology education in Africa, suggests that over 92 percent of health professionals have access to computers, laptops or other technology that can allow them to participate in online education.
“Also, over 45 percent of oncology health professionals have already participated in some form of online education, while interest in online education was over 93,” he said.
On the AU Continental strategy on education for the health and well-being of young people in Africa, he informed members that the strategy aims to enhance the physical, mental, and reproductive health of young people while contributing to the achievement of education goals.
“By recognizing the profound connection between health and education, this strategy provides a solid framework for African nations, and ensures that young people not only gain vital knowledge but also acquire life skills, values, attitudes, and agencies necessary for improved health, well-being and learning,” he said. He said the problem of health care system deficiencies in the West African sub-region, is to find solutions through the use of new technologies which assist health workers in delivering help to those mainly living in rural areas. He subsequently recommended among other things, reviewing the existing e-health strategies of other African countries, to align it with the overall goals of West Africa’s sub-regional telecommunication and information technology strategy
