Healthcare, at the global level, has never experienced a time like the one we are going through today. The consequences of the pandemic have resulted in a paradigm shift that has challenged the traditional architecture and functioning of health systems and accelerated the need for setting up innovative ecosystems with revamped health delivery models and scaling capabilities.

In Africa, as is the case everywhere else in the world, governments are injecting vast means into healthcare to address the healthcare crisis. Those budgets are progressively going under unsustainable pressure, making the shift towards digital technology a crucial step to redefine healthcare professionals (HCP)-Patient relationships and support a new era of care access for the continent’s population.

In 2023, healthcare will still be in the public eye and, whilst some industry practices will soon return to some degree of normalcy, there are a few trends that are likely to dominate the healthcare and life sciences industry in Africa.

Increased Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to optimize care access

Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in health are expanding throughout Africa as governments are increasingly recognizing the crucial role of the private sector to deliver and sustain health services and help bridge the numerous existing gaps across the continent.

However, to succeed, this new paradigm for the provision of public health and healthcare delivery systems needs to consider a number of solid factors including a strong political commitment and institutional support, a coherent integration into each national health strategy, favorable fiscal conditions, agreed PPP policies and a clear regulatory framework.

Localization of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing in Africa

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the forefront the reliance of African countries on global pharmaceutical markets and import of essential medicines and healthcare products. Inevitably, governments across these markets have been forced to renew their focus on pharmaceutical localization efforts to overcome the severe impact of disrupted global supply chains and bolster their domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities.

One of the ways in which the pharmaceutical sector is undertaking localization, in addition to localized manufacturing, is through partnerships and joint ventures with local companies – an initiative that is highly encouraged by local governments.

These initiatives provide the basic framework and guidance for long-term localization goals and define legislation and policies for shaping the pharmaceutical and healthcare landscape in the region.

Telemedicine foundations will be laid out for a wider use across the continent

Well before the COVID-19 crisis, telemedicine had emerged as an alternative to fill the gap of inadequate health resources and infrastructure in Africa. The current pandemic situation has accentuated this need as more than 400 million people have little or no access to healthcare today.

While a few African countries have already approved policies and guidelines for telemedicine, most nations still need to address regulation, delivery model, internet access and human resource challenges.

Governments and insurance stakeholders also need to discuss win-win reimbursement schemes that allow the democratization of telemedicine and provide lasting benefits for patients at an effective cost.

Detailing to Healthcare Professionals will be a mix of face-to-face and remote

With the prevalence of access restrictions to help fight the spread of COVID-19, all pharma and life sciences companies had shifted to remote detailing within the first few months of the pandemic itself, allowing them to stay connected with healthcare professionals during this particularly crucial period.

Today, with medical promotional activity returning completely to normal, virtual detailing still enjoys a wide adoption among HCPs due to the possibility of receiving information when and where it’s convenient, while simultaneously helping life sciences companies increase their capacity to engage with HCPs confidently and compliantly.

Pharma will refine Patient Support Programs for a post-COVID-19 World

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted and amplified the complex factors that shape patient journeys and influence patient adherence. The clinical, financial, and emotional effects of COVID-19 are leading to significant and tangible impact on patient support programs.

Some of these impacts will shape the purpose and design of patient support programs over the long term. For instance, COVID-19 has revealed the necessity for multi-channel engagement solutions, especially those that integrate with apps, wearables, and remote monitoring. It has asserted a renewed focus on intelligent design of patient-centric, risk-informed support programs and highlighted a preference for home-based nurse interventions over out-of-home infusion centers, labs, and other diagnostics.

Demand for mental healthcare will significantly increase

The impact of the COVID-19 crisis has been severe on mental health. Several African countries reported an increase of up to fourfold in symptoms of depression compared to the pre-pandemic statistics. In a recent press release, the World Health Organization stated that mental health is “one of the most neglected areas of public health.” Less than a quarter of people struggling with mental health in low and middle-income countries receive adequate treatment. With at least 75% of people struggling with mental health issues not receiving any treatment, governments are urged to rapidly scale-up this section of public health services.