A Systematic Review of Digital Health Innovations in Urban Angolan Medicine,

The digitalisation of medicine is a global phenomenon, but its specific applications and consequences in urban African settings require synthesis. Angola, with its rapidly urbanising population and developing healthcare system, offers a critical context for examining the adoption and effects of digital health innovations. This systematic review aims to map and critically appraise published literature on digital health innovations within urban Angolan medical practice. Its objective is to synthesise evidence on the types, reported benefits, challenges, and impacts of these technologies on healthcare delivery and outcomes. A systematic search was executed across multiple electronic databases and grey literature sources. Pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to select peer-reviewed studies and reports focusing on digital health in urban Angolan medicine. Study quality was assessed using appropriate critical appraisal tools, and data were extracted and synthesised thematically. The review identified a limited but growing body of literature. A prominent theme was the focus on mobile health (mHealth) solutions for maternal health communication and appointment reminders. While studies often reported improved patient engagement, a significant proportion also highlighted substantial infrastructural barriers, such as unreliable internet connectivity and electricity, as major impediments to sustained implementation. Digital health innovations in urban Angola demonstrate potential for enhancing healthcare access and communication, particularly in maternal health. However, their implementation is constrained by persistent systemic challenges. The evidence base remains underdeveloped, with a notable lack of robust, long-term outcome evaluations. Future initiatives should prioritise strengthening underlying digital infrastructure. Research must progress beyond pilot studies to include rigorous, longitudinal evaluations of clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness. Policymakers are encouraged to develop integrated national digital health strategies that address the identified barriers. digital health, mHealth, Angola, urban health, systematic review, maternal health, healthcare delivery, implementation challenges. This review provides a consolidated evidence base on digital health in urban Angola, clarifying prevalent innovation types and systemic barriers. It offers guidance for researchers and policymakers by identifying critical gaps in infrastructure and evaluation that must be addressed for sustainable digital health integration.