Role Of Telemedicine In Improving Maternal And Neonatal Health In Sub-Saharan Africa
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61841/ky4r0n11Keywords:
Pregnancy, infant, telemedicine, healthcare, health education, sub-Saharan AfricaAbstract
Several barriers have been shown to contribute to the burden and disparities among infant and pregnant women particularly in sub-Saharan African such as lack of access to quality health care services, isolated communities, deficiency of well-equipped facilities and a lack of well-trained health care professionals. These challenges have resulted into chronic diseases, health burden and health challenges among infant and pregnant women such as maternal mortality, morbidity, infection, eclampsia, hemorrhage, mental health conditions, embolism and gestational hypertension. One of the methods that have been proposed to be effective in overcoming, preventing, monitoring, assessing, educating and evaluating these challenges is Telemedicine. This technology is based on information and communication strategies like mHealth, eHealth, education, and telehealth using smartphones, telephone, computer, videoconferencing, digital image technologies, applications, algorithms, medical devices and other wireless and wearable gadgets. Thus, this review is aimed at giving an overview on the role of telemedicine in improving maternal and neonatal health in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Downloads
References
1. Adetunji Charles Oluwaseun, Olugbemi Tope Olaniyan, Olorunsola Adeyomoye, Ayobami Dare, Mayowa J
Adeniyi, Enoch Alex, Maksim Rebezov, Ekaterina Petukhova, Mohammad Ali Shariati (2022d). Assessing
COVID-19 and Other Pandemics and Epidemics using Computational Modelling and Data Analysis. Springer,
Cham. 133-143.
2. Adetunji Charles Oluwaseun, Olugbemi Tope Olaniyan, Olorunsola Adeyomoye, Ayobami Dare, Mayowa J
Adeniyi, Enoch Alex, Maksim Rebezov, Olga Isabekova, Mohammad Ali Shariati (2022c) Assessing COVID-19
and Other Pandemics and Epidemics using Computational Modelling and Data Analysis. Springer, Cham, 145-156.
3. AdetunjiCharles Oluwaseun, Olugbemi Tope Olaniyan, Olorunsola Adeyomoye, Ayobami Dare, Mayowa J
Adeniyi, Enoch Alex, Maksim Rebezov, Ekaterina Petukhova, Mohammad Ali Shariati(2022b) Assessing COVID-
19 and Other Pandemics and Epidemics using Computational Modelling and Data Analysis. Springer, Cham. 75-87.
4. Adetunji Charles Oluwaseun, Olugbemi Tope Olaniyan, Olorunsola Adeyomoye, Ayobami Dare, Mayowa J
Adeniyi, Enoch Alex, Maksim Rebezov, Larisa Garipova, Mohammad Ali Shariati (2022a) Assessing COVID-19
and Other Pandemics and Epidemics using Computational Modelling and Data Analysis. Publisher, Springer,
Cham, 157-168.
5. Anam Feroz, Shagufta Perveen and Wafa Aftab (2017) Role of mHealth applications for improving antenatal and
postnatal care in low and middle income countries: a systematic review. BMC Health Services Research (2017)
17:704. 1-11. DOI 10.1186/s12913-017-2664-7.
6. Tsedmaa Baatar, Narmandakh Suldsuren, Shinetugs Bayanbileg and Khishgee Seded (2012) Telemedicine Support
of Maternal and Newborn Health to Remote Provinces of Mongolia. Global Telehealth 2012 A.C. Smith et al.
(Eds.). 2012 The authors and IOS Press. doi:10.3233/978-1-61499-152-6-27.
7. Incerti F, S Paduano, L Borsari, F A Perrone, C Benski, G Stancanelli, P Borella (2020) Telemedicine system for
improving maternal and neonatal health: an interventional trial in Tanzania. 16th World Congress on Public Health
2020 2020–01. V884-v885.
8. Shankar Prinja, Ruby Nimesh, Aditi Gupta, Pankaj Bahuguna, Jarnail Singh Thakur, Madhu Gupta & Tarundeep
Singh (2016) Impact assessment and cost-effectiveness of m-health application used by community health workers
for maternal, newborn and child health care services in rural Uttar Pradesh, India: a study protocol, Global Health
Action, 9:1, 31473, DOI: 10.3402/gha. v9.31473
9. Maddox LJ, Albritton J, Morse J, Latendresse G, Meek P and Minton S (2021) Implementation and Outcomes of a
Telehealth Neonatology Program in a Single Healthcare System. Front. Pediatr. 9:648536. doi:
10.3389/fped.2021.648536.
10. MathurPankaj, Shweta Srivastava, Arati Lalchandani, Jawahar L. Mehta (2017) Evolving Role of Telemedicine in
Health Care Delivery in India. Prim Health Care 2017, 7:1.1-6. DOI: 10.4172/2167-1079.1000260.
11. Galle A, Semaan A, Huysmans E A, Constance Audet, Anteneh Asefa, Therese Delvaux, Bosede Bukola Afolabi,
Alison Marie El Ayadi, Lenka Benova (2020) A doubleedged sword—telemedicine for maternal care during
COVID-19: findings from a global mixedmethods study of healthcare providers. BMJ Global Health
2021;6:e004575. doi:10.1136/ bmjgh-2020-004575
12. Amel Dawod Kamel and Noura Mohamed El Toukhi (2020) IMPACT OF USING TELEHEALTH TO IMPROVE
MATERNAL OUTCOMES DURING PANDEMIC COVID-19. Proceedings of the International Conference on
Nursing and Health Sciences Volume 1 No 1, Volume 1 No 1, November 2020, Page 1 – 4.
http://jurnal.globalhealthsciencegroup.com/index.php/PICNHS Global Health Science Group.
13. van den HeuvelJosephus FM, T Katrien Groenhof, Jan HW Veerbeek, Wouter W van Solinge, A Titia Lely, Arie
Franx, Mireille N Bekker, (2018) eHealth as the Next-Generation Perinatal Care: An Overview of the Literature. J.
Med. Internet. Res. 2018;20(6):e202) 1-15. doi: 10.2196/jmir.9262
14. Tang, M.; and Reddy, A. Telemedicine and Its Past, Present, and Future Roles in Providing Palliative Care to
Advanced Cancer Patients. Cancers 2022, 14, 1884. https://doi.org/10.3390/ cancers14081884
15. World Health Organization. (2014). Trends in maternal mortality: 1990 to 2013. Estimates by WHO, UNICEF,
UNFPA, The World Bank and the United Nations Population Division. Retrieved from
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/ monitoring/maternal-mortality-2013/en/
16. Ngabo, F., Nguimfack, J., Nwaigwe, F., Mugeni, C., Muhoza, D., Wilson, D. R., Binagwaho, A. (2012). Designing
and Implementing an Innovative SMS-based alert system (RapidSMS-MCH) to monitor pregnancy and reduce
maternal and child deaths in Rwanda. The Pan African Medical Journal, 13, 31-31. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3542808/pdf/PAMJ-13-31.pdf
17. Ramesh. Gamasu (2015) Literature Review of Telemedicine System for Emergency Health Tribulations.
International Journal of Electronics and Electrical Engineering Vol. 3, No. 2,163- 170. doi: 10.12720/ijeee.3.2.163-
170.
18. DonohueLee T., Kristin R. Hoffman and James P. Marcin (2019).Use of Telemedicine to Improve Neonatal
Resuscitation. Children 2019, 6, 50; 1-11. doi:10.3390/children6040050.
19. Zeinab Nikniaz, Zahra Akbari Namvar, Masood Shirmohammadi, and Elham Maserat (2022) Smartphone
Application for Celiac Patients: Assessing Its Effect on Gastrointestinal Symptoms in a Randomized Controlled
Clinical Trial. Hindawi International Journal of Telemedicine and Applications Volume 2022, Article ID 8027532,
7 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/8027532.
20. Fang Li (2021) Design of an Interactive Two-Way Telemedicine Service System for Smart Home Care for the
Elderly. Hindawi Journal of Healthcare Engineering Volume 2021, Article ID 6632865, 11 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6632865.
21. Jack C, and Mars M (2008) Telemedicine a need for ethical and legal guidelines in South Africa. SA. Fam. Pract.
2008;50(2):60
22. Marwah S, Mittal P. (2018) M-health for maternal health- bridging the gaps!! Int. J. Reprod. Contracept. Obstet.
Gynecol. 2018;7: 1-4. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20175822.
23. Ittipong Khemapech, Watsawee Sansrimahachai, Manachai Toahchoodee, (2019) Telemedicine – Meaning,
Challenges and Opportunities. Siriraj Medical Journal. Volume 71, No.3: 246- 252.
http://dx.doi.org/10.33192/Smj.2019.38.
24. Aziz A, Zork N, Aubey JJ, Baptiste CD, D’alton ME, Emeruwa UN, et al. Telehealth for High-Risk Pregnancies in
the Setting of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Am J Perinatol. 2020;37: 800–8. doi:10.1055/s0040-1712121.
25. JOY MADUBUONWU and POOJA MEHTA (2021), How Telehealth Can be Used to Improve Maternal and Child
Health Outcomes: A Population Approach. CLINICAL OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY Volume 64, Number
2, 398–406
26. HarahapNabila Clydea, Putu Wuri Handayani, Achmad Nizar Hidayanto (2019). Barriers and technologies of
maternal and neonatal referral system in developing countries: A narrative review. Informatics in Medicine
Unlocked. 15. 100184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imu.2019.100184.
27. Kim T, and Zuckerman JE. (2019) Realizing the potential of telemedicine in global health. J Glob Health. 2019;
9:1–4.
28. EscobarMaría Fernanda, María Paula Echavarria, Hilda Vasquez, Daniela Nasner, Isabella Ramos, María Antonia
Hincapié, Stephanie Pabon, Juan Pedro Kusanovic, Diana Marcela Martínez-Ruíz, and Javier Andrés Carvajal
(2022). Effects of the Intervention Model Based on Telehealth and Education for the Management of Obstetric
Emergencies in Latin America. Research Square. 1-11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1382058/v1.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially.
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices:
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation .
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.
