A new era in the fight against HIV is at the door, marked by the arrival of Lenacapavir (LEN), a highly effective, long-acting injectable that offers protection with just two doses per year. This medical breakthrough, and future long-acting prevention tools, show a major shift in the approach to the HIV epidemic in Africa and across the globe.

However, the effectiveness of any new drug is only as strong as the systems that deliver it. As African nations continue to evaluate, and in some cases, prepare for the rollout of LEN and other long-acting options, the challenge is clear: How do we ensure that this revolutionary HIV prevention method reaches every community, overcomes persistent health system barriers, and that people are supported effectively over a six-month interval?

One piece of the puzzle is digital health. Our experience shows that technology, when integrated strategically, can help bridge the gap between scientific progress and real-world public health delivery. As countries across the continent navigate the complexities of the long-acting injectable method, the time to build confidence, familiarity, and trust is now.

Building Awareness, Trust, and Confidence

Building public confidence, familiarity, and trust in communities is the immediate priority for countries planning to roll out long-acting injectable HIV prevention, before the injection is widely available. This proactive approach ensures that when the product is ready, people are ready too.

The challenge for any new prevention method like LEN is not just supply and distribution; it’s patient retention in care. While, in some cases, daily pill adherence is eliminated, the risk of a person being lost to follow-up and missing their next injection becomes the key barrier.

This is a scenario addressed by the scale and accessibility of digital solutions which can support:

• Sustaining engagement by deploying personalised reminders through high-reach channels like SMS, WhatsApp, and USSD, ensuring consistent contact with individuals who are out of sight of the clinic.
• Decentralised support through platforms that act as a 24/7 digital health companion, offering confidential guidance, answering questions about side effects, and reinforcing adherence, extending the clinic’s reach beyond its physical walls.

Overcoming Barriers: Stigma and Low Awareness

African health services continue to grapple with low public awareness of HIV prevention options and stigma surrounding HIV services, particularly among youth. Digital approaches target these specific barriers through:

• High-reach awareness campaigns: Leveraging digital engagement across the continent, platforms can immediately generate informed awareness. We can deploy accurate, culturally sensitive information about all prevention options, including LEN and oral PrEP, to millions of people.
• Normalising prevention: Through youth-focused platforms, we can create safe, non-judgmental digital spaces. This allows us to normalise the conversation around prevention as an act of empowerment and healthy choice, counteracting stigma and linking users to care when they are ready.

Real-Time Insights for Smarter Rollout

The power of digital is not limited to communication; it lies in its ability to generate rapid, real-time data that can refine and optimise implementation. As countries begin planning their next-generation HIV prevention programmes, data is key. Digital engagement allows for real-time surveying through tools like awareness polls and hesitancy polls. This instantly brings to the surface community fears, myths, and logistical barriers, allowing governments and partners to proactively refine messaging and implementation strategy to meet community needs precisely where they are.

Furthermore, digital platforms are invaluable for effective stigma management. Sentiment analysis on user conversations helps quickly identify and counter misinformation, allowing us to pivot communication strategies immediately to address community anxieties and promote open conversation.

A Partner Ready for the Future

Our strategic positioning and proven experience across the continent make Reach the ideal partner for any organisation or government preparing for the future of HIV prevention.

Our commitment to innovation is backed by solid alliances, including our recent partnership with the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF). These partnerships ensure our digital solutions are built on the latest clinical science and designed for equitable, system-level impact.

The successful, large-scale deployment of LEN and other long-acting methods across Africa is a matter of strategic delivery. Digital health is the key mechanism to ensure that science is met with scale, that trust is built, and that no one is left behind in the final push to end the AIDS epidemic.

At our core, we believe that collaboration is key to reimagining the future of healthcare and creating a healthier, more equitable world for all.

We invite global health leaders and governments to collaborate with us now to design the digital foundation necessary to turn this scientific breakthrough into a guaranteed public health victory.

Reach out to us to explore partnership opportunities and help shape the future of healthcare: https://www.reachdigitalhealth.org/contact

The energy at the Africa HealthTech Summit (#AHTS2025) in Kigali, Rwanda, from 13 -15 October 2025, was at an all time high! As a partner in the Be He@lthy, Be Mobile (BHBM) initiative — a joint force alongside WHO, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Vital Strategies — we were thrilled to co-host a panel discussion and wellness activation that placed the silent epidemic of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) squarely at the forefront.

The question guiding our work, and the conversations at the Summit, remains urgent: How can digital innovation help shift the tide against NCDs in Africa?

Digital Health for NCD Prevention: Africa and Beyond

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are set to become Africa’s top killer by 2030, making scalable, evidence-based intervention urgent. Following crucial discussions at the 80th UN General Assembly in New York, global and regional leaders convened to tackle this immediate crisis.

Key Takeaways: Digital is Essential, Collaboration is Key

The core message from the panel was clear: digital health is not optional for solving the NCD crisis in Africa.

• Innovation for access: Joseph Ngamije (Vital Strategies) highlighted that with high mobile phone usage and limited traditional healthcare access, innovation is key. The Be He@lthy, Be Mobile (BHBM) initiative is important, leveraging mobile tech to sustainably scale NCD prevention and management.
• Empowering primary care: Ngamije stressed the need to strengthen primary healthcare for early detection of conditions like hypertension and diabetes, supported by mobile supply chains for essential medicines.
• Digital as a tool, not a replacement: Alphonse Murangira (Rwanda NCD Alliance) urged using digital solutions as an essential tool to complement — not replace — conventional healthcare. He also emphasised the need for private sector and local government partnerships to build trust and credibility for scaling.
• Massive reach & AI power: Julius Mugalo (WHO Rwanda) showcased BHBM’s platform, which has already supported over 50 million people globally, highlighting its cost-effectiveness. He noted that AI is actively being used for early detection and timely intervention.
• People-centered design: Debbie emphasised creating AI-powered digital health platforms that are people-centered tools that citizens “love and want to use” to ensure practical, lasting change and that provide individuals with information and resources they need.

The Call to ‘Collaboraction’

Solving this complex challenge requires “collaboraction” — a term used at the summit that underscores working together to influence real change through action. No single entity can solve the NCD problem alone.

The panel issued an urgent, multi-sectoral call to action:

1. Strengthen primary healthcare by using digital tools for early NCD detection and management.
2. Adopt WHO Best Buys interventions by implementing policy measures like taxing unhealthy products to encourage healthier environments.
3. Harness technology through leveraging AI and mobile platforms for data, informed decision-making, and delivering reliable information on prevention and care.

Wellness in Action: The BHBM Wellness Hub

Beyond policy talk, the BHBM consortium co-hosted the BHBM Wellness Hub at the summit. This dynamic activation demonstrated BHBM’s two-layer impact: personal well-being and national-scale digital solutions. Brought to the Summit in collaboration with Dala Africa Group and Lifesten Health.

The BHBM Wellness Hub successfully engaged over 500 delegates across four vital zones (De-stress, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Screening), bringing NCD prevention to life. The interactive 5K Steps-a-Day Challenge motivated 142 people to download the Lifesten app and compete, showing the power of digital health and community to drive personal action.

The Africa HealthTech Summit reaffirmed a crucial mission: Africa must lead in defining its own health future.

We are committed to continuing our partnerships with governments, WHO, ITU, Vital Strategies, and local alliances to ensure digital health is seamlessly integrated into national strategies, delivering long-term impact against NCDs.

Ready to partner and shape the future of African healthcare? Reach out to us for a discussion.

Last week in New York, the global stage of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80) was bustling with important discussions about the future of development. Our CEO, Debbie Rogers, was honoured to join fellow African leaders and global thought partners to drive these conversations. Debbie collaborated with key organisations across two major events — one focused on shaping a sustainable African future, and the other on unleashing digital health for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) with the World Health Organization. These sessions solidified a key message for us: the time for Africa to lead, design, and define our own development trajectory is now.

African Innovation: Redefining “With or Without Aid”

The first event, ‘African-led Innovation: Shaping Sustainable Futures with or without Aid’ co-hosted with eHealth Africa, Population Services International, and the Population Council, was a powerful declaration. Moderated by Hon. Chernor Bah, Minister of Information and Civic Education for Sierra Leone, the consensus was clear: Africa’s future must be driven by African ingenuity and ownership.

The discussion during this event highlighted that with or without aid doesn’t mean rejecting partnership; it means redefining it. As eHealth Africa’s Atef Fawaz noted, it’s about moving from others bringing “ready-made solutions” to co-designing sustainable solutions together.

This key moment resonated deeply with the core of our work, particularly as the conversation turned to digital health. Panellists like Africa CDC’s Jean Philbert Nsengimana urged the continent to chase a digital health revolution that mirrors the success of fintech — a ‘M-PESA leap’ for health.

For Debbie, the session was a platform to champion our foundational belief: constraints drive creativity, and Africa is poised to leapfrog because of them.

The Power of Love: Building Services People Want to Use

Across both UNGA events — the African-led innovation discussion and the Be He@lthy Be Mobile session (a collaboration with the WHO, ITU, and Vital Strategies) — Debbie’s key message was consistent and critical: we must move beyond merely building systems that people tolerate, to creating user-centric services that people love.

This is the essence of designing with people where they are.

At Reach, we see the profound impact of this approach every day. Debbie shared the success of South Africa’s National Department of Health MomConnect programme, which has reached over five million women since 2014. While the scale is impressive, the statistic she emphasised is that 98% of women recommend it to others. That’s not just adoption; that’s love and finding an intervention actually useful — it’s a service built so effectively around users’ needs that they become its strongest advocates.

As Debbie put it: “Build with people where they are, embrace constraints, and leapfrog. Create services people love, not just systems they tolerate.”

This simple yet profound philosophy is what sets African-led innovation apart. When we face infrastructure or resource constraints, we don’t just work around them; we need to be so user-focused that we leapfrog over traditional development models. We bypass old systems to deliver direct, effective, and delightful digital experiences.

The Road Ahead

The momentum from UNGA 80 is invigorating. Whether it was discussing the shift from aid dependency to African ownership, or exploring how digital tools can combat the rise of NCDs, the message remains clear: user-centric design is the engine that drives sustainable, African-led digital health innovation.

We are committed to building on this momentum through deeper collaboration and sustained investment in solutions that are born from and for the people of the continent.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in New York and virtually. The future of digital health is being driven from right here in Africa — and it’s a future we are not just joining, but leading.

What user-centric innovation in your sector are you most excited about right now?

At our core, we believe that collaboration is key to reimagining the future of healthcare and creating a healthier, more equitable world for all.

Ready to make an impact together? If you’re passionate about digital health and believe in the power of collaboration, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us to explore partnership opportunities and help shape the future of healthcare: https://www.reachdigitalhealth.org/contact

For over a decade, MomConnect, a flagship digital health programme by the South African National Department of Health, has been providing support to millions of new and expecting mothers. Launched in 2014, the MomConnect programme has empowered over five million women, initially through one-way SMS messages delivering essential reminders and health information. The programme’s shift to WhatsApp saw engagement soar, leading to over 1,000 questions daily for a limited helpdesk. This challenge highlighted the need for more interactive support for MomConnect users.

This is how Reach came to partner with IDInsight to develop a solution: the Ask-A-Question (AAQ) service.

The Power of Conversation: Introducing AAQ

AAQ has transformed MomConnect from a one-way information stream into a platform that offers interactive two-way dialogue. This innovative AI-powered solution provides immediate and relevant responses to users’ questions, significantly easing the load on helpdesk operators and allowing them to focus on the most complex and urgent cases.

Imagine a mother, perhaps in a rural area, typing in “pain in my belly” into the chatbot. In the past, she might have waited a while for a human response. Now, with AAQ, she can type her query, however incomplete or informal (misspellings and colloquialisms are expertly handled by the Large Language Models powering AAQ). The chatbot can then engage in a brief, clarifying conversation to understand the context, or, if urgency is detected, immediately escalate the query to the helpdesk.

AI in Action: A Testament to Impact

We had the exciting opportunity this month to participate in Google’s AI in Action event in Johannesburg, themed “AI is Now.” The event highlighted the major potential of AI to transform businesses and tackle real-world challenges, highlighting Google’s commitment to advancing Africa’s digital transformation through responsible AI adoption.

At the event, our Head of Engineering, Daniel Futerman, joined our partner IDinsight to showcase the AAQ solution, which we developed with support from Google.

AAQ is an example of AI in action, delivering timely, accurate, and accessible health support.

Impact: Counting on Change

The results speak for themselves, highlighting the power of ethical AI and collaboration in public health:

• By 2025, AAQ had successfully handled over 880,000 questions, providing mothers across South Africa with access to real-time, accurate information
• The chatbot boasts 83% accuracy in FAQ matching and 85% in urgency detection. This means mothers are consistently getting the right information and critical/urgent cases are identified quickly.
• Approximately 100,000 urgent queries required human intervention by May 2025. This reduces the burden on the human help desk, allowing the team to prioritise and provide personalised attention to mothers facing major health concerns.
• AAQ has shown great support for caregivers of small and vulnerable newborns, handling complex queries related to HIV exposure, feeding transitions, infant development, and symptom triage with accuracy and clarity. This constant, verified digital support empowers caregivers and reinforces clinical advice, particularly in settings where health system access is constrained.

The Future of Personalised Health Support

The Ask-A-Question solution is more than just a chatbot; it's an always-present, intelligent guide for mothers navigating important health choices. The solution embodies Reach's core belief that lasting health behaviour change comes through sustained, two-way engagement, not fleeting interactions. By leveraging AI to provide personalised, accessible, and safe resources, AAQ is proving that digital health done right is not just about broadening access; it's about delivering personalised care that changes lives, shifts behaviours, and strengthens health systems at scale.

As an open-source tool, AAQ is poised to empower other non-profit organisations, governments, and social sector organisations in developing nations to leverage Large Language Models for contextualised citizen health support in their native languages. This is just the beginning of how AI-powered conversations will redefine healthcare access and outcomes for millions.

Join us in celebrating this innovation and learn more about how we are working to build a healthier, more equitable future for all. Visit https://www.reachdigitalhealth.org/

At Reach Digital Health, we believe that lasting progress is only possible through collaboration. The most impactful, far-reaching, and people-centred solutions are those built in partnership.

In 2025, our commitment to collaboration is stronger than ever. From deepening our partnerships with Ministries of Health to co-creating solutions with global leaders in innovation and equity, we’re proud to be part of a growing network reimagining the future of healthcare. Here’s a look at some of the partnerships we’ve celebrated in 2024 and 2025:

Ministry of Health Partnerships: Scaling Proven Solutions

We have deepened our collaboration with national governments to integrate digital health platforms into public health systems, helping to strengthen and scale essential services.

South Africa — Department of Health (DOH)

The continued evolution of the MomConnect programme has reached a remarkable milestone — supporting 5 million mothers across South Africa. In partnership with the Department of Health, MomConnect has contributed to increased antenatal care attendance and improved immunisation rates. Together, we’ve enhanced features such as multilingual support, self-registration, and data dashboards for decision-makers. Our journey doesn’t end here; we are committed to reaching the next 5 million mothers, ensuring every woman has access to the trusted information she needs to make informed choices and thrive.

Mozambique — Ministry of Health (MISAU)

The AlôVida Plus platform, developed in collaboration with VillageReach, MISAU and other local partners, supports caregivers with vital health information. This includes vaccine reminders, maternal and child health stage-based messaging, emotional health content, and on-demand voice support, reaching families across the country via WhatsApp and Interactive Voice Response (IVR).

Zambia — Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI)

In Zambia, Reach is proud to partner with the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) to strengthen the country’s emergency response and disease surveillance systems. At the height of the recent cholera outbreak, we swiftly developed and deployed a WhatsApp chatbot to provide affected communities with timely, accurate information — supporting self-screening, health education, and real-time access to helpdesk services. This collaboration has since evolved into a broader initiative to scale digital tools for other public health areas, underpinned by a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ZNPHI and Reach. Together, we are working to ensure all Zambians, regardless of device type or connectivity, can access critical health services and information through inclusive, mobile-first platforms.

Tanzania — Ministry of Health

We are excited to share that Reach has received an official Letter of Support from the Health Promotion Section (HPS) of the Tanzanian Ministry of Health. This endorsement marks a significant milestone in our growing collaboration with the HPS and our partners at Development Media International (DMI).

Together, we are working toward a shared vision: to enhance health communication and digital engagement across Tanzania. With a clear roadmap in place, our partnership focuses on expanding the reach and impact of public health messaging — ensuring that individuals, families, and communities have timely, trusted access to information they need to lead healthier lives.

Zanzibar — Ministry of Health

We partnered with D-tree and the Zanzibar Ministry of Health to co-create a groundbreaking maternal health solution, one that brings personalised, life-saving information directly into the hands of Zanzibar’s mothers. Backed by strong government leadership, and officially endorsed through a letter of support from the Ministry of Health, this initiative builds on our shared commitment to advancing digital health solutions that improve maternal care at scale.

Leveraging on over a decade of D-tree’s collaboration with the ministry to scale Jamii ni Afya, Zanzibar’s nationally recognised community health programme, our partnership is taking the next big step: delivering direct-to-client support through an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot. Fully integrated into the Jamii ni Afya system, this tool will provide pregnant women with timely reminders, essential health tips, and on-demand access to counseling while connecting them to their local community health volunteers (CHVs).

By combining Reach’s 16 years of experience scaling trusted platforms like MomConnect with D-tree’s deep roots in Zanzibar’s digital health ecosystem, we’re working together to strengthen the continuum of care within and beyond the health system. This collaboration isn’t just about technology. It’s about building trust, driving meaningful behaviour change, and ensuring every mother has the support she needs to stay healthy during pregnancy and beyond.

Rwanda — Ministry of Health

Reach and YLabs are proud to be partnering with the Rwanda Ministry of Health to strengthen and scale CyberRwanda, a youth-led digital platform that delivers critical sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) content to young people across the country. By integrating Reach’s Young Africa Live (YAL) WhatsApp chatbot into CyberRwanda’s existing ecosystem, we are unlocking real-time, private, and personalised engagement — meeting young people where they already are. This new channel will complement CyberRwanda’s existing webcomics, FAQs, and service directories, enhancing access to trustworthy SRHR and mental health information while connecting young people directly to youth-friendly pharmacies and healthcare providers. Together, YLabs and Reach are combining behavioural science, digital innovation, and youth-centred design to empower the next generation with the tools and support they need to make informed health decisions starting in Rwanda, with a vision to scale across Africa

UNFPA Nigeria: Expanding Youth Access to SRH

Last year, we announced our partnership with UNFPA Nigeria on the U-Plan initiative — a digital platform built on the successful Young Africa Live model. U-Plan connects young Nigerians to critical information on sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, and HIV prevention.

With support from UNFPA, we are ensuring that young people can access support safely, confidentially, and directly from their phones, no matter where they live. As UNFPA Nigeria’s Dr. Gifty Addico noted, “Together with Reach, we’re committed to empowering the next generation of Nigerians to build a brighter, healthier future.”

Our CEO, Debbie Rogers, emphasised that, “This is more than a platform — it’s a safe haven where young Nigerians can access contraception advice, HIV/AIDS support, and find a space to speak out and get help when they need it most.”

This partnership is igniting a movement that puts the power of health and well-being back into the hands of young Nigerians, ensuring no one is left behind.

Reach and eHealth Africa Join Forces

In early 2025, we signed an MOU with eHealth Africa (eHA), a strategic collaboration aimed at advancing digital health solutions and improving healthcare access for communities across the continent. Through this partnership, we are joining forces to:

• Strengthen consortium partnerships for public health bids.
• Co-create impactful programmes and drive joint fundraising efforts.
• Develop concept notes and establish proof of concept for innovative health solutions.

Atef Fawaz, Executive Director of eHA, reflected that, “Collaboration is key to scaling impact. Through this partnership with Reach, we are harnessing technology and data-driven insights to strengthen health systems and improve lives across Africa.”

Driving Innovation Together: Global Networks in Action

We remain engaged with global platforms and conveners that strengthen the visibility and strategic alignment of our work worldwide:

Brands on a Mission

In partnership with Dr. Myriam Sidibé and the team at Brands on a Mission, we’re exploring new frontiers in large-scale behaviour change. Their innovative work harnesses the power of purpose-led brands to promote public health and social impact, from menstrual health to gender equity. We were proud to co-host a networking event in 2024 during the SVRI Forum, highlighting the urgency of collective action on SRHR and gender-based violence (GBV).

VillageReach

From our joint Appy Hour event at the Global Digital Health Forum in 2024 to ongoing programmatic collaboration, our partnership with VillageReach is grounded in a common belief that sustainable healthcare starts with human connection and system integration.

WHO and Gavi

As partners in data-driven health, we continue to contribute to initiatives focused on equitable vaccine access, routine immunisation, and the ethical use of AI in health delivery.

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and The Resilience Collaborative

As the original funders of the MomConnect programme, Johnson & Johnson have been core partners with Reach for over 10 years. J&J currently funds our work as part of The Resilience Collaborative, along with The George Institute and Dimagi. Together, we are expanding our WhatsApp-based intervention to support health worker wellbeing and continuous learning worldwide through our WHO HealthAlert chatbots.

What Works 2 Prevent VAWG Programme

The ‘What Works to Prevent Violence — Impact at Scale’ Programme is a seven-year initiative funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to scale-up effective, innovative interventions to Stop Violence before it starts.

As recipients of the What Works 2 Innovation Grant, in partnership with Ipas South Africa and several research consultants, we are adapting our evidence-based chatbot, ChattyCuz, for primary prevention of violence among adolescent women in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province. Ultimately, the project hopes to achieve a measurable reduction in dating violence among adolescent women in a randomized controlled trial setting.

Continuum of care across the health journey with Elephant Healthcare

Last year, Reach and Elephant Healthcare joined forces to deliver a transformative maternal health initiative powered by digital innovation. This partnership brings together Reach’s behaviourally informed messaging platform delivered, via WhatsApp and SMS, with Elephant Healthcare’s electronic health records system (ElephantOS), to offer pregnant women personalised, real-time support throughout their antenatal journey. At the same time, clinicians receive actionable decision support tools that align with WHO-recommended ANC protocols, ensuring no critical steps in care are missed.

With official backing from the Enugu State Ministry of Health, the initiative is designed to boost antenatal care (ANC) attendance, improve early detection of pregnancy-related risks, and ultimately reduce maternal deaths. Mothers receive regular reminders, nutrition guidance, and birth preparation messages, while health workers are equipped to track outcomes and provide holistic care.

This is more than a project — it’s a blueprint for maternal health transformation across Nigeria. Together, we are expanding efforts to 8 states in Nigeria, reaching millions of users. In this model, Reach serves as an extension of the healthcare provided at the facility, supporting referrals, emergency triage, and continuous engagement — especially when travel is difficult or care can be managed from home.

Forging a Path to Enhanced Mental Health Support with Idimma Health

We’re thrilled to announce the recent signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Reach and Idimma Health Initiative, a leading youth-led mental health organisation based in Nigeria. This partnership represents a significant leap forward in harnessing digital innovation and community-driven care to expand much-needed mental health support throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.

Our collaboration will focus on co-creating impactful, youth and gender-informed mental health initiatives, jointly designing scalable models that integrate grassroots counselling with digital engagement, and collaborating on fundraising and strategic partnerships. By leveraging direct-to-citizen tools and mobile platforms, we aim to significantly increase access to timely and personalised mental health support.

This partnership brings together Idimma Health Initiative’s extensive experience in community-based mental health services, including operating one of Africa’s largest national mental health helplines, with Reach’s proven track record in transformative digital health programmes. Together, we are committed to amplifying our collective impact, utilising technology, behavioural science, and community knowledge to improve the well-being of millions.

At our core, we believe that collaboration is key to reimagining the future of healthcare and creating a healthier, more equitable world for all.

Ready to make an impact together? If you’re passionate about digital health and believe in the power of collaboration, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us to explore partnership opportunities and help shape the future of healthcare: https://www.reachdigitalhealth.org/contact

We recently had the honour of hosting a panel discussion exploring the intersection of digital interventions, climate change, and health. The session brought together a diverse group of experts from global health, climate science, implementation, funding, and policy to unpack the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly-changing field.

Our CEO, Debbie Rogers, who moderated the panel, highlighted the importance for transdisciplinary collaboration. The panellists — Adetunji Eleso from Grand Challenges Canada, Simone St. Claire from the World Health Organization, Felipe Colón-González’s from the Wellcome Trust, and Nick Pearson from Jacaranda Health — each brought unique perspectives on how climate change is impacting their respective areas and how digital tools can offer solutions.

The Multifaceted Impact of Climate Change on Health

During the discussion, the panellists painted a picture of how climate change is exacerbating existing health challenges across various domains such as in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) where Simone highlighted how industries contributing to NCD risk factors, like tobacco, play a part in harming the environment. She also noted how climate change further intensifies NCDs through air pollution worsening respiratory conditions, extreme heat impacting cardiovascular health, disrupted food systems leading to reliance on unhealthy processed foods, and climate-induced migration exposing people to urban health risks.

Another health domain that is affected is communicable diseases. Felipe emphasised the intergenerational injustice of increased exposure to extreme heat events. He noted that, “A baby that was born in the 1960s would be exposed to about two to four heat waves throughout their life. But a baby being born in the 2020–2030 period is going to be exposed to between 20 and 40 heat waves or extreme heat events…”. He also pointed out the expansion of both the population at risk and the transmission periods for vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue.

Lastly, maternal and child health (MNCH) is also impacted and Nick detailed the particular vulnerability of pregnant women and infants to extreme heat, limited access to care during climate-related disasters like flooding, and increased incidence of malaria. Jacaranda Health’s PROMPTS platform is leveraging its vast data from conversations with mothers to understand the correlation between extreme heat and pregnancy complications.

The Promise of Digital Health Interventions

Despite the seriousness of the challenges, the panel highlighted the significant potential of digital health to address the climate-health link, such as:

• Early warning systems: Felipe underscored the importance of digital tools in predicting health outcomes related to extreme weather events and climate-sensitive infectious diseases, enabling better preparedness and resource allocation.
• Disease modeling and data: Innovative digital tools are important for modeling climate-sensitive infectious diseases, relying on robust data assets to feed these models.
• Climate services for health: Using climate information from various sources through digital platforms can inform decision-making and drive evidence-based policy.
• AI and evidence synthesis: Artificial intelligence and machine learning can curate and synthesise research evidence in real-time, making it more accessible to policymakers and implementers.
• Attributing causality: Developing digital tools to attribute health outcomes directly to climate change is a critical area needing advancement to strengthen evidence for action.
• Personalised responses: Digital tools like chatbots and AI can deliver tailored information and support to individuals, helping them mitigate and prevent climate-related health impacts. Nick highlighted Jacaranda’s work in personalising maternal health communication based on pregnancy history and potentially integrating real-time climate data.
• Leveraging existing scaled interventions: Simone showcased WHO’s Be He@lthy Be Mobile initiative and its evolution to provide timely health information via SMS and chatbots, demonstrating the power of adapting existing digital platforms to address emerging health threats during crises.

Key Considerations for Effective Digital Health Solutions

The panel also raised key points for ensuring digital health interventions are impactful and equitable which include:

• Accessibility and Cultural Relevance: It’s important to have inclusive dialogues with end-users and local stakeholders in the design process to ensure tools are user-friendly, culturally appropriate, and meet local needs.
• User-Centric Design: Design experiences need to be created in a way that users find valuable and easy to use, moving beyond purely academic perspectives.
• Policy Changes: Policy changes that prioritise community engagement, strengthen collaborations across sectors, and enable funding to reach community-led resilience programs are needed.
• Breaking Down Silos: Fostering transdisciplinary collaboration between health and climate scientists through joint leadership in research and creating common understanding through workshops is crucial.

Calls to Action: What Can We Do?

A powerful call to action emerged from the panellists. They advocated for prioritising real-time monitoring of local health impacts and urgently testing practical digital solutions within existing health systems, ensuring equitable and inclusive dialogues. The group also stressed collaborating to scale proven digital health interventions while pressing policymakers to accelerate NCD prevention policies. Ultimately, their message was to build strong coalitions among funders to bolster health systems and scale impactful innovations for everyone.

The message was clear: digital health is not a silver bullet, but a tool that, when developed and implemented thoughtfully and collaboratively, can significantly contribute to building climate-resilient health systems and mitigating the profound health impacts of our changing world. Reach Digital Health remains committed to driving innovation and partnerships in this critical space.

Are you working at the intersection of health, climate, or technology? We’d love to connect. Let’s explore how we can collaborate to make Health Possible for everyone.

Get in touch with our team at info@reachdigitalhealth.org

We recently hosted an insightful panel discussion, ‘Digital Interventions at the Intersection of Climate and Health’, during the 2025 Marmalade Festival, an official side event of the Skoll World Forum. As an organisation dedicated to leveraging digital solutions for improved health outcomes, we convened a diverse group of partners to explore the crucial and evolving relationship between climate change and global health. Recognising that the scale of these challenges demands collective action, this session underscored how strategic partnerships are essential to amplify the reach and impact of interventions.

This blog post highlights the invaluable contributions of each participating organisation, showcasing their groundbreaking work at the forefront of the critical intersection of digital technology, climate change and health.

Get to know the organisations who joined our panel and discover some of their work at the vital intersection of climate and health.

Grand Challenges Canada

Represented by Adetunji Eleso, GCC actively supports innovations that address critical health challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa. Their Scale and Sustainability work ensures that groundbreaking solutions, from maternal health to climate resilience, move beyond pilot stages and into communities at scale.

World Health Organization (WHO)

Simone St. Claire shared her work on the Tobacco-Free Farms initiative, a cross-sector programme supporting farmers in Kenya and Zambia to transition to sustainable livelihoods. Simone also highlighted WHO’s efforts in developing digital tools to manage and prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are increasingly affected by environmental and climate factors.

Wellcome Trust

Through Felipe Colón-González’s leadership in the Data for Science and Health team, Wellcome is investing in the intersection of climate and health, funding digital tools that support disease modelling, real-time surveillance, and health system strengthening in a changing world.

Jacaranda Health

Nick Pearson, Co-Executive Director, spotlighted Jacaranda’s work scaling maternal health solutions across East Africa. Their digital platform supports respectful maternity care and has reached over a million mothers and healthcare workers: a shining example of innovation deeply rooted in community and context.

We left the Marmalade session inspired by our shared vision: that collaboration across health, tech, and climate sectors is not just beneficial — it’s essential.

Why Partnerships Matter Now More Than Ever

Addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change and health inequities requires robust and collaborative strategies. Digital health offers significant potential for delivering timely, localised, and impactful interventions. However, realising this potential depends on integration within existing systems, the support of trusted stakeholders, and genuine co-creation with the communities we serve.

Looking ahead to the remainder of 2025, we at Reach are committed to strengthening our existing partnerships and cultivating new, strategic alliances. These collaborations are essential for driving equitable change, fostering meaningful innovation, and ensuring that we truly serve people in different communities.

Are you working at the intersection of health, climate, or technology? We’d love to connect. Let’s explore how we can collaborate to ensure that Health is Made Possible for everyone!

Get in touch with our team at info@reachdigitalhealth.org

Climate change is no longer a distant threat — it is a pressing health crisis. Extreme weather events, rising temperatures, and shifting disease patterns are increasing the burden of disease, particularly in low-resource settings. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), climate change is exacerbating both infectious and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), from respiratory conditions caused by air pollution to the expansion of malaria and dengue fever in new regions.

As climate-related health risks rise, digital health solutions offer an opportunity to strengthen health systems, improve real-time data collection, and scale life-saving interventions. At Reach Digital Health, we are leveraging digital technologies to close healthcare gaps and build climate-resilient health systems.

Climate Change is a Health Crisis

Heat-Related Illnesses and Maternal Health Risks

Extreme heat waves contribute to cardiovascular diseases, kidney failure, and pregnancy complications. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable, with heat stress linked to preterm births and low birth weights.

Air Pollution and Noncommunicable Diseases

Air pollution is a leading environmental cause of chronic diseases such as asthma, heart disease, and stroke. WHO reports that climate change worsens air pollution, leading to millions of premature deaths annually.

The Rise of Climate-Sensitive Infectious Diseases

Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns are expanding the range of vector-borne diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and Zika virus. Flooding increases cholera and other waterborne disease outbreaks.

Climate Displacement and Healthcare Disruptions

Extreme weather events displace millions, disrupting access to healthcare, medications, and essential services. Droughts, floods, and hurricanes are forcing populations to migrate, making continuity of care a major challenge.

How Digital Health Could Help Address Climate-Related Health Challenges

Early Warning Systems & Real-Time Health Alerts

• Programmes such as MomConnect (South Africa) could integrate heat wave alerts to help pregnant women take precautions during extreme heat events while those like AlôVida (Mozambique) could issue flood warnings and safe water guidance via WhatsApp to prevent disease outbreaks after extreme weather events.

AI-Driven Disease Forecasting & Risk Mapping

• AI-powered health risk models can predict and prevent disease outbreaks, such as malaria surges following flooding events.
• Climate-sensitive health forecasting allows governments and health agencies to respond faster to emerging threats.

Telemedicine & Digital Health Access for Displaced Populations

• Virtual health consultations ensure continuity of care for climate-displaced communities.
• Mobile health solutions provide mental health support for individuals experiencing climate anxiety and trauma.

Strengthening Health Systems with Digital Solutions

At Reach, we’re tackling TB head-on through digital innovation as part of previous projects in Indonesia and South Africa where we leveraged AI-powered chatbots and mobile platforms to support early detection, treatment adherence, and health system strengthening. These projects focus on:

• Supporting early detection: Our WhatsApp chatbot provides TB symptom checklists and directs individuals to nearby testing facilities.
• Enhancing treatment adherence: Personalised SMS and chatbot interactions support TB patients through their treatment journey, helping them stay on track.
• Empowering health workers: Digital tools equip frontline healthcare workers with real-time patient tracking and reporting, improving efficiency in TB care.
• Supporting health workers with tracing and identifying contacts of TB Index patients.

AI-powered chatbots provide reliable, on-demand health information, ensuring people get accurate guidance on climate-sensitive health risks.

Why We Must Act Now

With half of the world’s population already affected by climate-related health issues, urgent action is needed. Policymakers, healthcare leaders, and digital health innovators must work together to integrate climate resilience into global health strategies.

At Reach Digital Health, we are committed to scaling solutions that bridge digital innovation and climate adaptation. By combining AI, mobile health, and strategic partnerships, we can build a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable healthcare future.

🎤 Join the Conversation at the Marmalade Festival

As part of our commitment to climate-resilient healthcare, Reach Digital Health is hosting a panel discussion at the Marmalade Festival, a side event of the Skoll World Forum.

📍 Panel Title: Digital Interventions at the Urgent Intersection of Climate and Health
📅 Date: Friday, 4 April 2025
🕛 Time: 12:30–14:00
📍 Venue: The Woodshed Theatre, The Story Museum, Oxford

Our session will bring together leading experts, innovators, and policymakers to explore how digital interventions can mitigate climate-driven health crises and drive impact at scale.

🔗 Be part of the solution. Let’s work together to harness digital health for a climate-secure future. [Book now]

Teenage pregnancy is a significant challenge in South Africa, with alarming social and economic consequences for young women and their families. Statistics paint a stark picture: nearly 1 in 7 mothers in South Africa are teenagers, and 19.2% of female youth have experienced an adolescent pregnancy. Many of these pregnancies are unplanned, with 16.2% of young women reporting an unintended pregnancy and 6.7% having terminated a pregnancy.

The issue is not just in the numbers — it’s about lives interrupted, opportunities lost, and futures that could look very different with the right support. Teenage pregnancy disproportionately affects vulnerable girls, many of whom are grappling with poverty, inadequate access to contraception, gender inequalities, stigma and discrimination, and a lack of comprehensive sex education.

This reality requires urgent, multi-faceted solutions. As an organisation who has witnessed the potential of technology to transform healthcare access and equity, digital innovation has an essential role to play in breaking this cycle.

The Factors Driving Teenage Pregnancy

Teenage pregnancy reflects a complex web of challenges, including:

• Poverty: Young girls in disadvantaged communities often lack the resources to access contraceptives or healthcare.
• Poor sex education: Schools frequently fail to provide accurate and comprehensive education about safe sex, leaving young people uninformed and vulnerable.
• Gender inequalities and GBV: High levels of gender-based violence and limited autonomy over sexual health leave many girls unable to protect themselves.
• Social stigma: Taboos around discussing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) topics mean that many teenagers are left without safe spaces to ask questions or seek help.

These factors contribute to cycles of poverty and inequality. Early motherhood often leads to low educational attainment, with 33% of pregnant girls not returning to school, according to a 2021 Department of Basic Education report. This disrupts human capital development, limiting young women’s future opportunities and reinforcing gender gaps in education and employment.

How Digital Technology Is Creating Change

At Reach Digital Health, we are leveraging digital innovation to address the root causes of teenage pregnancy and to empower young people with knowledge and resources. Through platforms like B-Wise and MomConnect, we are meeting youth where they are — on their phones — with solutions that are tailored to their needs.

Here is how digital tools are making a difference:

Providing Accurate, Accessible Information

Many young people don’t have access to reliable information about sexual and reproductive health. Digital platforms like B-Wise bridge this gap by offering discreet, non-judgmental SRH guidance directly through tools like WhatsApp. This is especially important for teenagers who may face stigma or fear when seeking information elsewhere.

Breaking Down Barriers to Contraception

Through interactive content, young people can learn about their contraceptive options, how to use them, and where to access them. By using geo-location tools, we can connect teenagers to nearby clinics or youth-friendly services, ensuring they receive the care they need.

Tackling Stigma and Encouraging Open Conversations

Our platforms create safe, anonymous spaces for teenagers to ask questions and have open discussions about topics like consent, relationships, and safe sex. This helps combat the social taboos that often prevent these critical conversations.

Empowering Girls to Stay in School

By educating teenagers on how to prevent unplanned pregnancies and providing the tools they need, we are working to reduce the number of girls dropping out of school due to early motherhood.

Using Data to Drive Change

Digital tools also provide invaluable insights into the barriers teenagers face. For example, data from platforms like MomConnect enables us to identify trends and design targeted interventions for regions with higher rates of teenage pregnancy.

A Story of Impact

For many young women, programs like B-Wise have been life-changing. Take the story of Zanele*, a 17-year-old from KwaZulu-Natal. Through the chatbot, she learned about her contraceptive options and accessed the nearest clinic for help. “It gave me the confidence to take control of my health and my future,” she shared. Stories like Zanele’s remind us of the power of technology to change lives.

Collaboration Is Key

While technology is a powerful tool, it’s not a standalone solution. Addressing teenage pregnancy requires collaboration between governments, schools, healthcare providers, and communities to:

• Invest in comprehensive sex education: Schools must provide age-appropriate, accurate information to equip young people with the knowledge they need.
• Improve access to contraceptives: Clinics should be youth-friendly, welcoming, and accessible.
• Support policy and advocacy efforts: Policymakers need to prioritise interventions that reduce teenage pregnancies and support girls in continuing their education.

A Vision for the Future

Teenage pregnancy is a challenge we must face head-on. By leveraging digital tools, addressing systemic barriers, and encouraging collaboration, we can create a future where no girl is held back by an unplanned pregnancy.

At Reach Digital Health, we believe that empowering young people with knowledge and resources is the first step toward breaking cycles of poverty and inequality. Digital technology is not just an innovation — it’s an enabler of healthier futures and brighter opportunities for South Africa’s youth.

Together, let’s create a world where every young person can thrive.

Health Made Possible.

*Not her real name

Pregnancy is a transformative journey, filled with anticipation, hope, and for many women, significant challenges. In South Africa, where access to reliable maternal health information and services can vary greatly, initiatives like MomConnect play a vital role in ensuring that every mother has the tools and support she needs for a healthy pregnancy.

As we mark Pregnancy Awareness Week this February, it’s an opportunity to reflect on the importance of maternal health and the innovative solutions that are empowering women across the country.

MomConnect: A Lifeline for Mothers

Launched in 2014 by the South African National Department of Health, with support from Reach Digital Health, MomConnect is a groundbreaking digital health programmme. It uses SMS and WhatsApp platforms to connect pregnant women with essential health information, offering tailored messages that guide them through every stage of their pregnancy and connecting them with the services they need.

To date, MomConnect has reached nearly 5 million women, delivering vital advice on topics such as antenatal care, nutrition, warning signs during pregnancy, and birth preparedness. These messages are carefully crafted to ensure that they are not only informative but also accessible to women in underserved and rural areas.

How MomConnect Supports Healthy Pregnancies

1. Access to Reliable Information

Many pregnant women face barriers to accessing accurate health information. MomConnect bridges this gap by providing trusted, evidence-based guidance directly to their mobile phones, ensuring they are informed about their health and the well-being of their unborn child.

2. Encouraging Early Antenatal Care

One of the programme’s key goals is to encourage women to register for antenatal care early in their pregnancy. Early care significantly reduces the risks of complications, enabling healthcare workers to address issues like hypertension, diabetes, and anaemia before they become critical.

3. Building a Community of Support

MomConnect empowers women by creating a virtual support network. Through the helpdesk feature, mothers can ask questions and receive real-time advice from healthcare professionals, helping them feel less isolated and more confident in their journey.

4. Improving Health Outcomes

By equipping women with knowledge about pregnancy warning signs, nutrition, and newborn care, MomConnect contributes to reducing maternal and neonatal mortality rates.

Real Stories, Real Impact

For Thandi, a young mother in rural Limpopo, MomConnect was a lifeline during her first pregnancy. “The messages helped me understand what was happening with my body and what I needed to do for my baby. I wouldn’t have known about the danger signs if it wasn’t for MomConnect,” she shares.

Stories like Thandi’s highlight the programme’s transformative impact on maternal health and its ability to empower women to make informed decisions for themselves and their families.

Looking Ahead: The Next Five Million

As we celebrate 10 years of MomConnect, Reach Digital Health is committed to building on its success by expanding the programme’s reach and bringing personalised health support to more women across South Africa and beyond.

With advancements like the integration of AI-driven tools, MomConnect is set to provide even more tailored and impactful care. The focus remains on strengthening maternal health systems, equipping healthcare workers, and ensuring that no woman is left behind.

This Pregnancy Awareness Week, let’s recognise the importance of maternal health and the power of digital solutions like MomConnect. Together, we can support healthy pregnancies, improve outcomes, and create a future where every mother has access to the care and information she needs.

To learn more about MomConnect, visit Reach Digital Health’s website or follow us on social media for updates.

Health Made Possible starts with empowering mothers.