Revolutionizing healthcare in Somalia: the role of digital innovations in enhancing access and quality
Somalia’s healthcare system faces significant challenges, including limited infrastructure, a shortage of healthcare professionals (2.5 physicians per 10,000 people), and geographic disparities in access to care, leading to only 35% of the population having access to basic health services. Despite t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Open Exploration Publishing Inc.
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Exploration of Digital Health Technologies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.explorationpub.com/uploads/Article/A101134/101134.pdf |
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| author | Mohamed Mustaf Ahmed |
| author_facet | Mohamed Mustaf Ahmed |
| author_sort | Mohamed Mustaf Ahmed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Somalia’s healthcare system faces significant challenges, including limited infrastructure, a shortage of healthcare professionals (2.5 physicians per 10,000 people), and geographic disparities in access to care, leading to only 35% of the population having access to basic health services. Despite these, Somalia is embracing digital health technologies to address these challenges and to improve healthcare delivery. Telehealth platforms such as Baano and SomDoctor provide remote consultations and specialized care to overcome geographical barriers. mHealth solutions, including Hello! Caafi, leverages Somalia’s expanding telecommunications network to deliver healthcare information and services. The development of an electronic immunization registry demonstrated the role of digital health records in streamlining health services and improving data accuracy. Despite the potential benefits, challenges persist, including limited and unreliable Internet access (27.6% penetration rate), and the need to ensure data privacy and security. Capacity building and digital literacy enhancement among healthcare providers and populations are crucial. Learning from successful digital health initiatives in African countries that have effectively used digital health technologies for medical supply delivery and for improved healthcare access is essential. The roadmap for Somalia emphasizes government leadership, public-private partnerships, context-specific solutions, and investment in digital infrastructure, capacity building, and data privacy measures. This perspective explores current digital health innovations in Somalia and their potential impact on healthcare access and quality, outlining a roadmap for establishing a sustainable digital health ecosystem. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b7692333b1584b249046d6be03e3d0ba |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2996-9409 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Open Exploration Publishing Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Exploration of Digital Health Technologies |
| spelling | doaj-art-b7692333b1584b249046d6be03e3d0ba2025-08-20T03:24:43ZengOpen Exploration Publishing Inc.Exploration of Digital Health Technologies2996-94092024-11-012636036810.37349/edht.2024.00034Revolutionizing healthcare in Somalia: the role of digital innovations in enhancing access and qualityMohamed Mustaf Ahmed0https://orcid.org/0009-0006-5991-4052Department of Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, SIMAD University, Mogadishu, SomaliaSomalia’s healthcare system faces significant challenges, including limited infrastructure, a shortage of healthcare professionals (2.5 physicians per 10,000 people), and geographic disparities in access to care, leading to only 35% of the population having access to basic health services. Despite these, Somalia is embracing digital health technologies to address these challenges and to improve healthcare delivery. Telehealth platforms such as Baano and SomDoctor provide remote consultations and specialized care to overcome geographical barriers. mHealth solutions, including Hello! Caafi, leverages Somalia’s expanding telecommunications network to deliver healthcare information and services. The development of an electronic immunization registry demonstrated the role of digital health records in streamlining health services and improving data accuracy. Despite the potential benefits, challenges persist, including limited and unreliable Internet access (27.6% penetration rate), and the need to ensure data privacy and security. Capacity building and digital literacy enhancement among healthcare providers and populations are crucial. Learning from successful digital health initiatives in African countries that have effectively used digital health technologies for medical supply delivery and for improved healthcare access is essential. The roadmap for Somalia emphasizes government leadership, public-private partnerships, context-specific solutions, and investment in digital infrastructure, capacity building, and data privacy measures. This perspective explores current digital health innovations in Somalia and their potential impact on healthcare access and quality, outlining a roadmap for establishing a sustainable digital health ecosystem.https://www.explorationpub.com/uploads/Article/A101134/101134.pdfdigital healthtelemedicinesomaliahealthcare innovationmhealth |
| spellingShingle | Mohamed Mustaf Ahmed Revolutionizing healthcare in Somalia: the role of digital innovations in enhancing access and quality Exploration of Digital Health Technologies digital health telemedicine somalia healthcare innovation mhealth |
| title | Revolutionizing healthcare in Somalia: the role of digital innovations in enhancing access and quality |
| title_full | Revolutionizing healthcare in Somalia: the role of digital innovations in enhancing access and quality |
| title_fullStr | Revolutionizing healthcare in Somalia: the role of digital innovations in enhancing access and quality |
| title_full_unstemmed | Revolutionizing healthcare in Somalia: the role of digital innovations in enhancing access and quality |
| title_short | Revolutionizing healthcare in Somalia: the role of digital innovations in enhancing access and quality |
| title_sort | revolutionizing healthcare in somalia the role of digital innovations in enhancing access and quality |
| topic | digital health telemedicine somalia healthcare innovation mhealth |
| url | https://www.explorationpub.com/uploads/Article/A101134/101134.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mohamedmustafahmed revolutionizinghealthcareinsomaliatheroleofdigitalinnovationsinenhancingaccessandquality |