"Digital tools can help improve women’s health" - WHO report
- FemImpact Africa
- Dec 6, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 7
WHO report
A World Health Organization Europe report “The role of digital health technologies in women’s health, empowerment, and gender equality” released on 8 March 2024 highlights the transformative potential of digital tools in improving women's health and advancing gender equality.
It emphasizes that these technologies can enhance access to healthcare, particularly for underserved populations, by addressing barriers like geographic distance and cost. The report showcases examples where digital health solutions have empowered women through access to information, services, and health data management. Specifically, it found that digital health tools are particularly useful in areas related to gynaecology, obstetrics, psychiatry, nutrition, and physical activity.
However, it also points out challenges, including disparities in digital access and literacy, which must be addressed to ensure equitable benefits.
The study underscores that investing in digital health not only promotes health equity but also supports broader societal goals like gender equality and economic development. By overcoming systemic gaps, digital tools can play a critical role in improving outcomes for women globally.
While the WHO report focuses on Europe, its insights are highly relevant to Africa, given similar structural and systemic barriers impacting women’s health, though the regional contexts differ in terms of challenges and opportunities.
Key Translations to Africa:
Digital Health Bridging Access Gaps
In Africa, digital health tools can play an even more transformative role due to the widespread challenges of limited healthcare infrastructure, a high rural population, and physician shortages. Mobile health (mHealth) solutions, already on the rise in Africa, can further address these gaps, providing essential services like maternal health tracking, telemedicine, and access to health education.
Infrastructure Challenges
The report’s emphasis on internet connectivity and digital literacy is crucial for Africa, where 60% of the population lacks internet access. Entrepreneurs can prioritize solutions that function on low-bandwidth networks or integrate SMS-based systems to ensure inclusivity.
Affordability and Accessibility
Economic disparities in Africa make affordability a critical factor. Startups can adopt innovative models like pay-as-you-go or partnerships with telecom providers to subsidize costs, aligning with the report's call for equity in digital health access.
Focus on Key Health Areas
While Europe’s health gaps might focus on aging and chronic diseases, Africa faces additional burdens such as high maternal mortality rates, reproductive health challenges, and infectious diseases. Digital tools tailored to these priorities would resonate more with African contexts.
Investment Potential
With a rapidly growing tech-savvy youth population and increased mobile penetration, Africa represents an untapped market for femtech solutions. The WHO report’s findings can help investors recognize the economic and social potential of investing in African digital health innovations.
Policy and Partnership Advocacy
The call for systemic change in Europe mirrors Africa's need for public-private partnerships, supportive policies, and government backing to scale digital health initiatives. Programs like Smart Africa or partnerships with global health organizations can accelerate adoption.
Empowerment Through Education
The gender digital divide in Africa can be addressed by integrating health education with digital tools, empowering women to make informed health decisions and improve health literacy.
Broader Implications
Adapting the European insights to Africa means prioritizing context-specific innovations and investing in infrastructure, affordability, and partnerships. Femtech in Africa could target areas with the greatest unmet need, leading to significant health and economic gains while addressing global gender equity goals.
So what does this mean for innovators and investors in women's health?
This WHO report on the potential of digital tools for improving women’s health and promoting gender equality offers several actionable insights for femtech entrepreneurs and investors:
Market Identification and Validation
The report highlights critical gaps in healthcare access and outcomes for women, emphasizing underserved or remote populations. Entrepreneurs can leverage this data to validate market needs and design digital health solutions tailored to address these disparities.
Product Development Guidance
By identifying barriers like digital literacy, affordability, and connectivity, the report provides a roadmap for designing inclusive technologies. Femtech companies can create user-friendly interfaces, scalable tools, and affordable solutions to maximize impact.
Economic and Social Impact Insights
Investors can use the report's findings on the economic benefits of improving women’s health, such as boosting productivity and reducing healthcare costs, to justify investments in femtech. The report quantifies the broader societal impact, adding value to impact-focused investment portfolios.
Advocacy and Partnerships
The emphasis on systemic gaps and policy needs encourages collaboration between private companies, governments, and NGOs. Entrepreneurs and investors can use this report to advocate for supportive digital health policies or to form partnerships that enhance scalability and impact.
Funding Opportunities
The report underlines the importance of investment in digital tools for health equity. Investors can identify femtech startups aligned with these goals, while entrepreneurs can use the report’s data to pitch for funding, demonstrating alignment with global health priorities.
Future Trends in Femtech
By spotlighting the role of digital health in addressing gender equity, the report signals an evolving focus on technologies that empower women. Entrepreneurs and investors can use these trends to innovate in areas like telemedicine, health data platforms, and personalized care solutions.
This report can serve as both a strategic framework and a compelling evidence base for femtech innovations and investments in ways that meaningfully improve women’s health.
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