Innovation in Healthcare in Developing Countries – “a Fallacy or a misnomer?”
How can healthcare sector in Africa and other developing countries be transformed through Healthcare innovation to reduce Maternal and infant mortality?
Infant mortality is the death of a child less than one year of age. Infant mortality is the death of a child before the child’s first birthday. Globally, ten million infants and children die each year before their fifth birthday. Out of which 99% belong to developing countries. This rate is often used as an indicator for the level of health in a country. Eighty six percent of these deaths are due to infections, premature births, and complications during delivery and birth injuries. Common causes are preventable with low-cost measures. Main 5 Diseases responsible for high IMRs. Acute Respiratory Infection (Pneumonia), Diarrheal Diseases, Malnutrition (under nutrition), .Malaria and other diseases which are preventable through Immunization some other causes are HIV AIDS, Meningococcal Meningitis, Dengue, Tuberculosis and Childhood Disabilities (physical and psychological). In my country Kenya currently the infant mortality is 39 deaths in 1000 births and this figure is mind boggling and this call more innovations in Health care to reduce the figure to Zero or very minimal numbers.
Majority of the population at the bottom of the pyramid in developing countries earn less than a dollar per day and due to lack universal insurance coverage for this group, hence the infant and maternal mortality continue to increase.
Healthcare sector in Africa and other developing countries can be transformed through cloud based- and mobile technology where digital payment streams and information are connected to medical data, thus improving quality of care, reducing cost of care and creating transparency and accountability. What are your views?
In reality saving lives by Population Health (AKA) Community Medicine is probably a more effective way of achieving better health outcomes in the short term, than developing highly sophisticated models of care.
Innovation in its true sense is making even small changes. Providing potable water to communities preventing water borne diseases.
Having a better system of running clinics in various backward communities for immunisation, education on nutrition, precautions and prevention techniques for insect vector borne diseases will drastically reduce mortality.
Technology, will and must play a part in actively managing the delivery of care and drive data driven healthcare outcomes.
As we get over the line, I have no doubt that 1st class technology should be used in Kenya, as any where in the word.
This is an easy answer but a very tough execution! The benefits of technology is not the question (it’s obvious), but utilizing your resources is. What will you do with the same budget that is used for this technology? You are the only one that can answer that question!