SELEMO NKWE
Throughout history, medical research, technology, and innovation in their divergent forms have introduced noteworthy developments to medicine and healthcare globally.
Numerous advancements in critical knowledge of medicine and healthcare have allowed several improvements in diagnosis, treatment, and care. With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the need for these improvements became ever more urgent, and the race began to develop technological innovations and scientific that would counter the pandemic.
Researchers have turned to 4IR (Fourth Industrial Revolution) technologies during the pandemic as these are the latest cutting-edge innovations said to be transforming medicine due to rapid advances in genomics, genetic engineering, digital health, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), robotics and much else.
These scientific and technological advances promise new avenues for developing the healthcare sector and transformative, life-saving social impacts. 4IR technologies are believed to have the potential to make a difference in improving healthcare systems worldwide.
Africa is progressively embracing, adopting, and implementing 4IR to the effect of socio-economic development and transformation. As a result, this advancement is changing Africa’s economic outlook in agriculture, education, and healthcare, among other sectors.
For the past decade, African countries have been struggling with an outbreak of pandemics such as Ebola, Cholera, Malaria, and recently Covid-19 and due to limited resources resulting in a high number of fatalities. Such challenges require innovative long-term solutions, including technologies and massive investment in the overall health system. Significantly, African countries must focus on integrating digital health into their health system strategy while prioritising investments in local scientific and medical research, technological innovation, and regional collaboration.
Recent studies have demonstrated the positive relationship between improved healthcare and economic performance, including the importance of 4IR in transforming healthcare, human capital, and economic development. Expert estimates revealed that additional investments in healthcare in Africa could save 3.1 million lives and generate economic growth of more than $100 billion over that period.
Additionally, improved health leads to longer life expectancy, increased savings and investment, decreased debt and healthcare expenditure, and increased productivity. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that for every 10% increase in life expectancy at birth, annual economic growth increases by 0.4%. Thus, investing in a healthy population is crucial for Africa’s development beyond enhancing human life.
Several health-related interventions have been implemented in Africa to improve health conditions and outcomes, yet the continent still carries a tremendous disease burden. In some measure, access to these health-related interventions has been limited and sustainable, leaving the most vulnerable population groups with a persistent disease burden.
Despite this, African countries have adopted novel technologies, such as drone technology, eHealth, AI, and other innovative solutions, enabling the distribution of essential supplies to disadvantaged communities, removing access restrictions, and facilitating the quicker delivery of life-saving medications and vaccines. For example, drone technology, such as Ghana’s Zipline, has distributed over 1 million Covid-19 vaccine doses and over 50 thousand deliveries.
Mobile health for healthcare delivery has also been one of Africa's most effective eHealth platforms. According to research, mobile connectivity has transformed the lives of millions of people across the continent by facilitating the distribution of essential resources and services, including education, healthcare, and financial inclusion.
As the world recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, Africa continues to grapple with the prevalence of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and a rise in non-communicable diseases. African countries rely significantly on importing medications, vaccines, and other medical supplies to manage these diseases. As it stands, Africa imports almost 99% of vaccinations for diseases and over 95% of medications, despite consuming approximately 25% of the world’s vaccine production.
Global efforts to expand technologies that underpin the manufacturing of medicines, vaccines, and other pharmaceutical products in Africa to assure greater access are hampered by intellectual property (IP) rights protection and technological patents. A recent example is the development of Covid-19 vaccines.
Despite its potential benefits of equitable access to vaccines, the most significant barrier to adequate vaccine supply remains IP protection governing the protection and access to vaccines. Those who produce the vaccines and own the IP stay in the position of power while Africa remains marginalised and left behind in complex global pharmaceutical innovations. This leaves a significant question of whether 4IR will solve existing global inequalities of health systems or mirror previous industrial revolutions.
Selemo Nkwe is a Researcher at the Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation (IPATC)
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