Salient Advisory studies innovations in healthtech across the African continent. This newsletter summarizes the most interesting news we read each month. Submissions are welcome. Feel free to share.
African governments implement digital health transformation strategies to improve healthcare systems
The government of Togo has initiated the construction of a National Centre for Digital Health (CNSD) in Lomé, supported by UNDP funding, as part of its 2025 national digital health strategy. The CNSD aims to improve governance, advance healthcare digitization, and improve Togo’s capacity to address health crises through innovations like telemedicine, electronic medical records, automated health surveillance systems, and optimized management of medical resources.
In Kenya, the Kisumu County Government unveiled its Digital Health Roadmap and the Kisumu Data Health Information Exchange and Data Repository Blueprint aimed at building an integrated, interoperable health system by 2027. These frameworks aim to streamline data sharing, improve healthcare delivery, and support universal health coverage through innovative and data-driven approaches.
Global health stakeholders launch initiatives to advance African healthtech
The Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC) in collaboration with the Digital Impact Alliance, launched the Africa HealthTech Marketplace, a platform showcasing local, scalable, and vetted digital health solutions that can help bridge healthcare access gaps across the continent. The initiative aims to support Africa’s digital health transformation strategy, increase innovators’ visibility, facilitate informed procurement decisions, and foster collaboration between governments, providers, and innovators.
The United Nations Development Programme and timbuktoo Africa Innovation Foundation selected 40 African health tech startups from 21 African countries for the HealthTech Hub’s accelerator program. The program will support innovators by offering mentorship, funding, and access to advanced technologies to address critical health challenges across Africa. Selected innovators include Mobihealth, Clinify, Medtech Africa, BetaLife Health, Checkit, Natal Cares, among others.
The Investing in Innovation (i3) program, sponsored by a global network of industry leaders to connect African health tech innovators with donors and global health agencies, announced the launch of its second phase. In two years since its inception, i3 has supported 60 African health tech innovators across 18 countries and facilitated 450 strategic introductions between innovators and governments, industry and donors, resulting in the creation of nearly 1,000 jobs (half of which are held by women). Building on this, the next phase of the program will provide risk-tolerant financing to 10 early-stage and 10 growth-stage startups, helping them to address critical health system challenges and expand access to care. Applications are set to open in January 2025.
Innovators collaborate with telecoms giants to improve healthcare access
MedPharma, a Ghanaian health tech company, in collaboration with MTN, a major telecommunications provider, launched mCare, a telemedicine platform to expand access to primary healthcare services across Ghana. The partnership is supported by Phoenix Health Insurance and SanlamAllianz as underwriters. Founded in 2017, MedPharma offers telemedicine, e-prescription, and medication delivery services to consumers.
Similarly, in Nigeria, Mobihealth, a telehealth startup is partnering with Airtel Nigeria, to extend its telehealth services. The collaboration aims to leverage Airtel’s network infrastructure to provide affordable access to telemedicine services across underserved areas. Founded in 2017, Mobihealth connects patients with doctors and offers medication delivery services.
Africa’s first indigenous PCR test for Mpox gets approval
Moldiag, a Moroccan biotech company founded by the MAScIR Foundation, received approval from the Africa CDC’s Diagnostic Advisory Committee for its real-time PCR test for Mpox, signifying a major milestone for the continent’s Mpox response. Moldiag specializes in developing in vitro molecular diagnostic kits and has previously launched tests for tuberculosis, breast cancer, hepatitis C, COVID-19, and leukemia. This latest approval underscores Africa’s growing capacity to address public health challenges with locally developed solutions.
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