Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41692491›Full record

ArticleBMJ global health2026

A research agenda for digital payments of health workers in large-scale health campaigns in sub-Saharan Africa.

Peter Waiswa, Juliet Aweko, Charles Opio, Maggie Ssekitto Ashaba, Uchenna Igbokwe, Eric Aigbogun, Zahra Mboup, Souleymane Ndiaye, Adama Faye, Andrew Bakainaga and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ global health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Peter WaiswaHealth Policy, Planning and Management, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Central Region, Uganda pwaiswa@musph.ac.ug.
Juliet AwekoHealth Policy, Planning and Management, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Central Region, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0001-7448-6726
Charles OpioHealth Policy, Planning and Management, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Central Region, Uganda.
Maggie Ssekitto AshabaHealth Policy, Planning and Management, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Central Region, Uganda.ORCID 0009-0000-0782-0886
Uchenna IgbokweSolina Centre for International Development and Research, Abuja, Nigeria.
Eric AigbogunSolina Centre for International Development and Research, Abuja, Nigeria.
Zahra MboupUniversite Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal.
Souleymane NdiayeUniversite Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal.
Adama FayeUniversite Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal.
Andrew BakainagaWorld Health Organization, Kampala, Uganda.
Elizabeth Ekirapa KirachoHealth Policy, Planning and Management, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Central Region, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0001-6938-2068

Funding

the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation INV-03047
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDigital payments are increasingly favoured over cash for remunerating healthcare workers in large-scale health campaigns due to perceived advantages in efficiency and security. However, evidence to guide their scaling and optimisation is limited. This study aimed to identify and prioritise a global research agenda for digital payments in health campaigns in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

methodsWe employed the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative methodology. In stage 1, we defined the context and criteria (answerability, feasibility, sustainability/equity, impact). In stage 2, 420 stakeholders were engaged via an online survey, generating 450 research questions, which were refined to a final pool of 35. In stage 3, these 35 questions were scored by 63 experts against the predefined criteria. Research Priority Scores (RPS) and Average Expert Agreement (AEA) were computed for ranking in stage 4.

resultsThe overall RPS for the 35 questions ranged from 38.6% to 6.0% (mean 28.2%, SD 6.4%). The AEA ranged from 67.2% to 82.7% (mean 77%, SD 3.4%), indicating strong consensus. RPS and AEA showed a strong positive correlation (r=0.989, p<0.01). The top-ranked research questions were: (1) Minimum requirements for health systems to digitise payments responsibly (RPS 38.6%); (2) Optimisation of digital payments to enhance campaign effectiveness in SSA (RPS 36.8%); (3) Incentives for digital payment adoption in the healthcare sector (RPS 36.1%); (4) Cost-benefit analysis of digital payments vs cash (RPS 36.3%) and (5) Coverage of mobile money agents and its impact on uptake and satisfaction (RPS 34.0%).

conclusionsThis study provides an expert-consensus roadmap for research on digital payments in health campaigns. Addressing these priorities will generate critical evidence to develop robust, equitable and effective digital payment systems, ultimately strengthening health systems and improving health outcomes in SSA.

Indexed as

Health PersonnelHealth PromotionAfrica South of the SaharaDigital HealthDigital MediaHumansSurveys and QuestionnairesChild healthGlobal HealthHealth systemsImmunisationPublic Health

Identifiers

PMID41692491
PMCPMC12962003

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.