Telemedicine in South Africa: New Investments, New Opportunities

In South Africa this year, telecommunications companies Rain and Nokia announced that they intend to roll out 5G network services across the country through 2019 and 2020. This is not only welcome news to South Africa’s growing population of 56.72 million residents, but also for healthcare providers in the region. A widespread, fast mobile network will make it easier to deliver telemedicine through remote video retrieval to areas of greatest need in the country.

It is estimated that across the African continent, 60% of people live in rural areas where healthcare infrastructure can be largely absent. Certainly in South Africa, social services tend to be clustered in cities where access and wealth go hand-in-hand. For those living outside urban centers, getting medical attention can be extremely difficult. Mobile telemedicine represents a growing opportunity to create jobs in South Africa, and ensure the entire population has equal access to healthcare services.

A recent report suggested that one of the biggest threats to the economy across the continent was malaria: a curable and often preventable disease, but one that normally requires a hospital stay that puts workers out of commission. In rural areas, malaria becomes more serious. Without medical attention the disease can be lethal, especially to children and seniors.

Telemedicine kits have a high ROI: They are not only useful in emergencies, but can connect people living in rural areas to a doctor for more minor concerns, or for ongoing care and monitoring of chronic conditions. With new high speed networks on the way, mobile telemedicine is becoming not just a nice-to-have for emergency healthcare services in rural areas, but a genuine option for delivering equal quality of care to South Africans across the country. Ideally, those living in rural and underserved areas could have access to a family doctor through a local telemedicine kit station, and be able to develop the kind of relationship with a doctor that those living in urban areas enjoy. Ongoing health monitoring leads to better outcomes: A healthier population strengthens the economy and leads to greater opportunities for all of Africa.