Opportunities and Challenges to Telehealth Implementation in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Secondary Data Analysis on Digital Infrastructures

Telehealth offers a promising solution to healthcare access challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, significant digital infrastructure gaps, including limited internet connectivity, high mobile data costs, and a pronounced digital gender gap, hinder its implementation. This study uses secondary data from the Digital Infrastructure in Africa report to assess telehealth readiness across regions, focusing on broadband access, rural connectivity, and affordability. Findings reveal that North Africa is better positioned for telehealth adoption, with broadband penetration at 16.8%, mobile data costing 2.5% of gross national income (GNI), and a 20% digital gender gap. In contrast, Sub-Saharan Africa has a broadband penetration of 6.3%, mobile data costs of 8.3% of GNI, and a 31.2% gender gap, with East Africa showing the most significant barriers. Positive correlations between internet connectivity, broadband penetration, and rural access (r = 0.83-0.97) and negative correlations between mobile data costs and gender disparity (r = -0.81 to -0.98) underscore the need for targeted infrastructure investments and gender-sensitive policies. These findings highlight that to realize telehealth’s potential for equitable healthcare access, policymakers must focus on reducing data costs, expanding rural connectivity, and promoting gender equity in digital access.