Health is essential for every woman, regardless of where she lives. However, in Africa, many women face challenges and barriers that prevent them from accessing quality healthcare and living a healthy lifestyle. 

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According to the World Health Organization, Nigeria has the second-highest maternal mortality rate in the world, with 917 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019. Moreover, only 39% of Nigerian women have access to skilled birth attendants, compared to 81% of Nigerian men. These statistics reveal the stark inequalities and gaps that exist in the Nigerian health system, especially for women.

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Fortunately, technology can offer solutions and opportunities to improve women’s health and well-being in Africa. In this blog post, we will explore some of the apps and gadgets that are improving African women’s health, by providing services such as telemedicine, mental health, and fitness. We will also discuss how these technologies can empower women to take charge of their health and well-being, and overcome the challenges they face.

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Telemedicine

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Telemedicine is the use of technology to deliver healthcare services remotely, such as online consultations, prescriptions, and referrals. Telemedicine can benefit women in Africa by increasing access to quality healthcare, reducing costs and travel time, and improving convenience and privacy.

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• One of the telemedicine platforms that provides online virtual consultation services for women is Débbo Africa. Débbo Africa is a women-only healthcare centre that offers diagnostics, virtual consultations, and mindfulness services. Their secure and user-friendly platform connects women with experienced healthcare professionals from the comfort of their homes or offices. With telehealth, distance and time are no longer obstacles to quality healthcare.

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• Another telemedicine platform that provides affordable and quality healthcare services to underserved communities is Mobihealth. Mobihealth is an innovative telehealth platform that leverages artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, and mobile technologies to provide access to doctors, specialists, pharmacies, laboratories, and ambulance services. Mobihealth aims to address the challenges of healthcare delivery in Africa, such as shortage of skilled personnel, inadequate infrastructure, and high costs.

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Mental health

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Mental health is the state of well-being in which a person can cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively, and contribute to their community. Mental health is important for women, as they often face more stressors and challenges than men, such as gender-based violence, discrimination, and reproductive health issues. 

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Technology can help women cope with stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, by providing apps and gadgets that offer various services, such as:

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• Counselling: Apps that allow women to chat with licensed therapists, counsellors, or coaches online, and receive support, guidance, and feedback. For counselling, you could get Talkspace, an app that connects users with over 5,000 licensed therapists, or BetterHelp, an app that provides online counselling and therapy services.
  
  
• Meditation: Apps and gadgets that help women practise mindfulness, relaxation, and breathing techniques, and improve their focus, mood, and sleep quality. For meditation, you could get Headspace, an app that offers guided meditations, courses, and exercises, or Muse, a headband that uses EEG sensors to measure brain activity and provide real-time feedback.
  
  
• Self-care: Apps and gadgets that help women track their health, wellness, and lifestyle habits, and provide personalised recommendations and reminders. For selfcare, you could get Flo, an app that helps women track their menstrual cycle, ovulation, and fertility, or Fitbit, a wearable device that monitors heart rate, activity, sleep, and more.

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Fitness

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Fitness is the condition of being physically fit and healthy, and having the ability to perform various tasks and activities. Fitness is important for women, as it can improve their physical and mental health, prevent diseases, and enhance their quality of life. Technology can help women stay fit, active, and healthy, by providing apps and gadgets that offer various services, such as:

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• Workouts: Apps and gadgets that help women access a variety of exercises, classes, and programs, and follow along with instructors, trainers, or coaches. For workouts, you should get Apple Fitness+, a service that offers live and pre-recorded classes taught by experts that can be streamed from the Internet to Apple devices, or Echelon, a company that sells smart bikes, rowers, and treadmills that connect to an app that provides interactive workouts.
  
  
• Nutrition: Apps and gadgets that help women plan, track, and manage their diet, calories, and nutrients, and provide feedback, tips, and recipes. For nutrition, you could get MyFitnessPal, an app that helps users log their food intake, exercise, and weight, or Huel, a company that produces nutritionally complete meals in powder, bar, or ready-to-drink form.
  
  
• Gamification: Apps and gadgets that help women make fitness fun, engaging, and rewarding, by using elements of games, such as points, levels, badges, and challenges. For gamification, you could get Ring Fit Adventure, a Nintendo Switch game that uses a ring-shaped controller and a leg strap to track the player’s movements and actions.

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Technology can be a powerful tool for improving women’s health and wellbeing in Africa, as it can increase access, reduce costs, improve convenience, and enhance quality of healthcare and lifestyle. However, technology is not a magic bullet, and it also comes with some challenges and limitations, such as availability, affordability, reliability, and security. Therefore, women need to be aware of the benefits and risks of using technology for their health and wellbeing, and make informed and responsible choices.

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If you are interested in trying out some of the apps and gadgets we have mentioned in this blog post, here are some tips and recommendations for choosing the best ones for your needs:

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• Do your research: Before downloading an app or buying a gadget, read the reviews, ratings, and feedback from other users, and check the credentials, qualifications, and reputation of the providers, developers, and manufacturers.
  
  
• Compare and contrast: Don’t settle for the first app or gadget you find, but compare and contrast different options, features, prices, and benefits, and find the one that suits your preferences, goals, and budget.
  
  
• Try before you buy: If possible, use the free trial, demo, or sample version of the app or gadget, and see if it works for you, meets your expectations, and delivers the results you want.
• Be safe and secure: Protect your privacy and data by using strong passwords, encryption, and antivirus software, and avoid sharing sensitive or personal information with strangers or untrusted sources.
  
  
• Have fun and enjoy: Technology can be fun, engaging, and rewarding, but don’t forget to enjoy the process, celebrate your achievements, and share your experiences with others.

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Conclusion

In this blog post, we have explored some of the apps and gadgets that help in improving health outcomes for women, by providing services such as telemedicine, mental health, and fitness. We have also discussed how these technologies can empower women to take charge of their health and wellbeing, and overcome the challenges they face.

We hope you enjoyed reading this blog post, and learned something new and useful.