How digital solutions are saving lives in rural Tanzania

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania is witnessing a speedy shift of its healthcare services to digital solutions amid the long-standing challenge of access to quality services, especially in the rural areas.

Healthcare stakeholders praised digital initiatives such as the Afya-Tek project which digitally link communities with healthcare providers to improve the quality of care, describing it as saving lives and transforming how healthcare is delivered across the nation.

This shift is especially critical for the most vulnerable populations—pregnant women, children, and adolescents—whose health outcomes have historically been compromised by the lack of timely and effective medical care.

In rural areas, where specialised medical doctors are scarce, patients often had to travel long distances to access basic medical care.

However, the introduction of digital health solutions is changing the narrative.

On September 6, 2024, during the annual general meeting for the Afya-Tek project, stakeholders praised the progress made through digital systems that have been implemented in districts like Kibaha, in the Coast region.

The project, which is spearheaded by the Apotheker Health Access Initiative, has shown tremendous potential in addressing the systemic issues that have plagued the country’s healthcare system for decades.

Speaking at the meeting, a representative from the Ministry of Health’s ICT department, Mr Walter Disanjo, emphasised the government’s commitment to scaling the digital solutions nationwide.

“We commend the introduction of the Afya-Tek project which we saw fit to implement nationwide. We now have a unified system to achieve the goal,” he said.

The unified digital system aims to link all healthcare touchpoints—community health workers, drug dispensing outlets, and primary health facilities—into a more connected healthcare network.

The integration ensures that key knowledge and information are shared, treatment is coordinated, and patients receive consistent care at every stage of their medical journey.

The four-year project has already demonstrated remarkable success in Kibaha. Maternal, child, and adolescent health outcomes have improved through personalised, digitally enabled care.

Community health workers, equipped with digital tools, can now engage with patients’ right at their doorsteps, providing care that is tailored to their specific needs.

Whether at a community-based drug shop or a primary health facility, patients’ health records are always accessible, ensuring that they receive the best possible care.

The programme director at Apotheker, Dr Angel Dillip, highlighted the transformative impact of the project.

“By leveraging clinical decision support, referral coordination, and data-driven performance management, the fully digitised system has filled previous gaps at touchpoints to enable comprehensive care,” she said.

“Data is collected and used for measuring and monitoring how the health system responds to patient needs, making evidence-based information transparent for policy and programme decision-making,” she added.

The system’s success in Kibaha area of the Coast region, has paved the way for a nationwide rollout.

Kibaha district medical officer, Dr Wilford Kondo reported significant benefits from the project, particularly in reducing maternal and child mortality.

“Over the four years of the project, we have seen a consistent decrease in the deaths, from seven per year to one this year, which was unavoidable,” said Dr Kondo.

He added that the transfer of health records has greatly enhanced care coordination between health facilities and community health workers, leading to better treatment outcomes.

Similar digital health initiatives have been implemented in other countries with remarkable results.

In Rwanda, for instance, the introduction of a digital health platform called Babyl has significantly improved access to healthcare services, especially in remote areas.

The platform allows patients to consult with doctors via mobile phones, access prescriptions, and receive follow-up care without the need for long journeys to health facilities.

The result has been a significant reduction in travel costs, faster access to medical care, and improved health outcomes for patients.