There is considerable attention on the pivotal role that digital technology can play in providing better healthcare. The term ‚Äúdigital health‚ÄĚ is broad in scope and¬†includes mobile health (mHealth), health information technology, tele-health and telemedicine,¬†virtual care, remote monitoring, and wearable devices. Indeed, for many years, I have been a big fan of wearable devices such as my Fit-bit wristband and am obsessed with monitoring my various stats such as number of steps walked or run every day, the number of stairs climbed and of, course, resting heart rate and the number of calories burned.

According to the WHO, there is a growing consensus in the global health community that the strategic and innovative use of digital and cutting-edge information and communications technologies can prove to be crucial enabling factors towards ensuring the fulfilment of the WHO’s so-called triple billion targets: 1 billion more people can benefit from universal health coverage, be better protected from health emergencies, and that more people can enjoy better health and well-being in general.

But is technology really helping us to receive better healthcare?

One particularly important and ambitious project in this context was launched by India more than a decade ago. The Pan-African E-network (PAN) was the brainchild of India‚Äôs former President Dr. Abdul Kalam. It¬†combines India‚Äôs competitive advantages and soft power strengths ‚Äď ICT, education and health expertise ‚Äď through a public-private partnership (PPP) model.¬†

The network offers¬†tele-education and tele-medicine services using fibre-optic and satellite networks ‚Äď a feature that¬†illustrates India‚Äôs preference to showcase ‚Äúfrugal innovation‚ÄĚ, where low-cost solutions address major developmental challenges. New Delhi has actively promoted this project as a ‚Äúshining example‚ÄĚ of SSC on health and education. Thus, PAN provides a unique opportunity to understand how India is able to ‚Äúcare for Africa at a distance‚ÄĚ.

What has been the contribution then of this ambitious global health initiative from the South and how effective have such solutions been in improving healthcare on the African continent? 

Vincent Duclos is a medical anthropologist and a professor at the Department ofSocial and Public Communication at the University of Quebec in Montreal.

• Situating mobile health: a qualitative study of mHealth expectations in the rural health district of Nouna, Burkina Faso
• The empire of speculation: medicine, markets, and nation in India‚Äôs Pan-African e-Network
• Algorithmic futures: The life and death of Google Flu Trends
• Demanding mobile health
• Clip of Dr. Abdul Kalam's speech from a video ("Connecting Hearts- India's Pan Africa E-Network") produced by Press Information Bureau, Government of India¬†

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