U.S. Trade Agency Announces New Collaboration To Raise Healthcare Access Across Africa

Posted by Eric Ojo African News, Latest Headlines, U.S./Canada Wednesday, October 19th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has announced its partnership with Nigeria’s Mobihealthcare Limited (Mobihealth), which is aimed at expanding healthcare access in Africa.

The USTDA helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. It links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.

In a statement on Tuesday, the management of the agency said it has awarded a grant to Nigeria’s Mobihealth for a feasibility study to support the expansion of its telehealth services from Nigeria to Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, and Egypt.

This collaborative effort will help expand healthcare access for 100,000 individuals per year across Africa.

USTDA’s study will include a detailed market assessment, financial analysis, and legal and regulatory assessment for each of the four countries. The Africa Investment Forum (AIF) is collaborating with USTDA to facilitate the development and financing of Mobihealth’s project.

Director of USTDA, Enoh T. Ebong said by partnering with Mobihealth, his organisation’s goal is to transform the delivery of healthcare to underserved communities across Africa using the best technology that U.S. industry has to offer.

“It is also gratifying to see women-led businesses such as Mobihealth leading the development of critical infrastructure on the continent”, he said.

Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mobihealth, Funmi Adewara said the USTDA grant comes at an opportune time and will enable them to expand the scope of their integrated telehealth, electronic medical records, and digitalization services to several other African markets over the next few years.

“African female entrepreneurs find it much harder to raise funds, so this support from the USTDA, made possible through the AIF, will be invaluable. The impact this project will have across Africa’s healthcare system cannot be over emphasized”, she added. Also in her remarks, a Senior Director at AIF, Chinelo Anohu observed that the awarding of the grant to Mobihealthcare is a welcome manifestation of the MOU signed between the USTDA and AIF one year ago to deliver high-quality infrastructure solutions to sub-Saharan Africa.

“We now need to apply our collective capacities to secure full financing for the regional expansion of its telehealth service”, she stressed.

The AIF is an initiative of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and seven partner institutions to accelerate transactions and attract investors to close Africa’s investment gaps.

USTDA’s announcement of grant funding for Mobihealth’s feasibility study took place at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, where the agency announced a total of three new grant activities to advance healthcare access in Nigeria and across Africa.

Nigerian Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire said STDA’s grantees will be equipped with more tools to develop their programmes, be it as top-notch cancer treatment centers or other related services that address urgent healthcare needs in our country.

“A closer relationship with USTDA will also allow recipient organizations to draw on highly valued U.S experience in healthcare and build lasting partnerships that improve national and global health”, he further explained.

USTDA’s assistance to Mobihealth advances one of the key pillars of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, which aims to strengthen global health security through investments in patient-centered health services.

In addition, the project also advances the U.S. government’s Prosper Africa initiative to substantially increase two-way trade and investment between the United States and Africa.