ArticleHealth science reports2026
Adoption of Telemedicine in African Health Policy in Pre and Post COVID-19 Eras: Innovations, Limitations, Challenges, and Lessons Learned.
Article in Health science reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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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.
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Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
Background: Telemedicine in Africa has evolved from small-scale pilots to an essential tool for enhancing healthcare access, efficiency, and equity. Early efforts faced challenges due to limited infrastructure, high costs, and weak policies. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated telemedicine adoption, exposing the need for stronger digital health strategies. Despite interest, many countries still struggle with regulation, coordination, and scaling sustainable implementations. This review examines the development and policy adoption of telemedicine across Africa before and after the pandemic, identifying key innovations, ongoing challenges, and lessons to guide future digital health planning. Methods: A narrative review was conducted, with study selection guided by PRISMA transparency standards. A structured search was conducted across PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and policy databases from the WHO, the African Union, and UNECA. The search included publications from 2000 to 2025, focusing on English-language studies addressing telemedicine policies or implementation in African countries. Results: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated adoption, driving rapid innovation and policy shifts. In Nigeria, platforms such as Conclusion: Telemedicine adoption in Africa has grown markedly since COVID-19 but remains constrained by infrastructural and regulatory weaknesses, and variable acceptance. Strengthening legal frameworks, improving infrastructure, and increasing awareness among providers and communities are vital to sustain progress, integrate telehealth into routine care, foster innovation, and enhance equitable healthcare across the continent.
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Registered trials
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