Investing in Research and Development of Innovative Digital Health Solutions for Africa
As we strive towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and laying the foundation for the post-2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, health systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) need to embrace the opportunities presented by digital health solutions. Working smarter and faster is key to harnessing more efficient, equitable and contextualized healthcare in an integrated manner. Combining health technologies with other scientific innovations such as mobile and digital technologies (mHealth and eHealth), artificial intelligence (AI), big data processing, and other emerging technologies offers the potential for widespread transformation of health systems. Despite large-scale investments in product development for poverty and related infectious diseases (PRDs), progress in achieving public health gain remains slow, while sub-Saharan Africa bears the highest burden of these diseases.
Moreover, these diseases co-exist with a growing burden of other morbidities, requiring improved systems that facilitate surveillance for multiple diseases and the ability to support the introduction of several medical interventions. There is a need to provide sustained support to research and development and to encourage the use of new, innovative approaches and emerging health technologies in sub-Saharan Africa to achieve rapid progress and impact. The COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled the use of digital health and the generation of novel knowledge that could advance prevention, treatment or diagnosis of PRDs in this part of the world with rapidly growing ‘digital–hungry’ urban populations and mainly young people with a median age of under 20 years.
The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) is investing in innovative approaches to enhance research on PRDs in sub-Saharan Africa. As a partnership between currently 24 African and 15 European countries, EDCTP aims to accelerate the development of new or improved medical interventions for the identification, treatment and prevention of PRDs.
Launched in 2003 and renewed in 2014 and 2021, EDCTP has been the focal point of European Union (EU) support for global health research in Africa and is a visible sign of commitment to the SDGs. By December 2022, the second EDCTP programme (EDCTP2; 2014-2024) portfolio comprised 436 grants awarded through 60 calls for proposals, representing a total investment of EUR 823 million. Clinical trials supported by EDCTP2 involve international collaborations spanning >60 countries and 350 institutions in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa, with broader global collaboration. Results from these clinical trials have generated pivotal evidence which has informed national and international policy and practice. On 10 May 2022, the European Commission and the EDCTP Association launched the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking, highlighting the importance of ensuring research and innovation collaboration, cooperation and funding in the area of infectious diseases, and the commitment of the partners.
As part of the 9th edition of the Science Summit around the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78), and on the occasion of EDCTP’s 20th anniversary, this session aims to illustrate the value of investing in research and development of innovative digital health solutions for addressing unmet medical needs in Africa through a global partnership such as EDCTP. The objectives of the session will be:
- Promoting awareness about EDCTP and its role and contribution towards attaining the SDGs
- Showcasing practical examples of how EDCTP and its partners are supporting clinical research using smart, highly innovative health technologies or concepts to prevent, treat or diagnose PRDs in sub-Saharan Africa, and the development of solutions that are easily integrated or linked to existing electronic or digital systems used in the implementation of clinical research and health systems’ patient management
- Demonstrating how the use of digital technology in public health interventions can serve as a driver for the development of African health systems, improving access to health data and research evidence to better develop and implement informed health policies and improved clinical guidelines for healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa
- Discussing the role of digital health solutions in addressing Africa’s health challenges and opportunities, including lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic response and the enabling research, policy, regulatory and financial environments that are needed.