ReviewHuman behavior and emerging technologies2021
Utility of telemedicine in sub-Saharan Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. A rapid review.
Review in Human behavior and emerging technologies, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 41 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
41 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 93 citations in OpenAlex.
- The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care including innovations implemented in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review.Journal of global health · 2023Pooled it
- Evaluating the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Accessing HIV Services in South Africa: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Trial
- Expanding the Evidence on the Safety and Efficiency of 2-Way Text Messaging-Based Telehealth for Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Follow-up Compared With In-Person Reviews: Randomized Controlled Trial in Rural and Urban South Africa.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Trial
- Adoption of Telemedicine in African Health Policy in Pre and Post COVID-19 Eras: Innovations, Limitations, Challenges, and Lessons Learned.Health science reports · 2026Article
- Readiness for telehealth integration in primary healthcare centers: a pilot mixed‑methods assessment from Lebanon's REMOTE project.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- An account of health systems resilience to emergencies in Africa: a scoping review.Globalization and health · 2026Article
- Health care management in Africa: a debate for future research and agenda.Frontiers in digital health · 2026Article
- Stakeholder perspectives on telemedicine acceptance and experiences in Uganda: A qualitative study.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Evaluating the knowledge and usage of digital health tools in rural Oyo State, Nigeria: a cross-sectional study of healthcare professionals and residents.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Adoption of Telemedicine for Dementia Care in Nigeria: Scoping Review.Interactive journal of medical research · 2025Review
- Determinants of feasibility, acceptability and reach of mobile phone delivery of an Adolescent Transition Package (ATP) supporting the transition of youth living with HIV to adult HIV care in Kenya during the COVID-19 pandemic.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Barriers and facilitators of provision of telemedicine in Nigeria: A systematic review.PLOS digital health · 2025Article
- A scoping review of the roles, challenges, and strategies for enhancing the performance of community health workers in the response against COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries.BMC primary care · 2025Article
- Patient perceptions and predictors of intention to use telehealth for follow-up care: a mixed methods study among adults living with HIV in Kampala, Uganda.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Telemedicine Adoption and Prospects in Sub-Sahara Africa: A Systematic Review with a Focus on South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Natural Language Processing Technologies for Public Health in Africa: Scoping Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Advancing Sustainable HIV Services Through Integration in Primary Healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Perspective on Practical Recommendations.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- The Advantageous Impact of Telestroke: Global Insights and Implications for Africa: A Scoping Review of Literature.Stroke research and treatment · 2025Review
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Telemedicine is the use of technology to achieve remote care. This review looks at the utility of telemedicine during the pandemic, period March 2020 to February 2021. Eleven articles met inclusion criteria. There was moderate use of telemedicine in sub-Sahara Africa during the pandemic, however, there were also some limitations. Benefits of telemedicine include continuing medical service provision, connecting relatives with loved ones in quarantine, education, and awareness of mental health issues, and toxicovigilance and infection control. Challenges to the implementation of telemedicine on the continent were lack of supporting telemedicine framework and policies, digital barriers, and patient and healthcare personnel biases. To address these challenges, this article proposes the development of policy frameworks that fosters telemedicine use by all stakeholders, including medical insurance organizations, the introduction of telemedicine training of medical workers, educational awareness programs for the public, and improvement of digital platforms access and affordability.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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 OpenQuestion graph.