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What does a healthcare management degree prepare you for? It prepares you to be leaders of healthcare facilities, health services, and systems.

Africa is the second largest continent by population size, home to over 16% of the world’s population. For years, Africa has experienced challenges in the healthcare sector, such as lack of qualified doctors or specialists. But, a transformation is underway in healthcare across the continent, driven by Africa’s youthful population.

Embarking on a transformative journey into the heart of Africa’s healthcare landscape, our blog delves into the dynamic opportunities and emerging trends in the healthcare industry across the continent.

A thriving healthcare industry in Africa

Africa’s emergence as a globalised economy positions its healthcare industry for substantial growth. The continent’s economic upswing, the rise of a burgeoning middle class, and local entrepreneurial ventures contribute to a rapid healthcare focus. 

Well-managed hospitals and facilities are anticipated to play a pivotal role in meeting the growing healthcare demands of the continent.

Growing workforce needs

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports critical shortages in health workers across more than 70% of African countries. The region is projected to need between 5.3 and 6.1 million additional health workers by 2030. 

Unequal distribution of healthcare workers at both country and geographical levels, along with significant migration, has persistently posed a challenge globally. This issue is most pronounced in African countries compared to the rest of the world. 

To tackle these challenges effectively, it is imperative to establish aligned priorities that necessitate new and sustained investments in the health workforce.

Private sector contribution

Private sector involvement is crucial to meet the escalating demand for high-quality healthcare across Africa. Studies indicate the need for new investments in healthcare assets, including hospitals and clinics, to cater to the growing healthcare demands of the continent.

Emerging trends in the healthcare industry in Africa

The African Healthcare Market is undergoing a transformation marked by the integration of IT into hospital and clinic operations, in-country manufacturing initiatives, expanded options for micro-insurance, enhanced care delivery practices, a surge in Point of Care (POC) healthcare solutions, and a heightened emphasis on home diagnostics. 

The African Healthcare Market is witnessing a transformative phase marked by the following notable trends:

  • Integration of IT: Hospitals and clinics are integrating IT into their operations, enhancing efficiency and data management.
  • In-country Manufacturing Initiatives: A shift towards in-country manufacturing is bolstering the availability of healthcare resources, and reducing dependency on imports.
  • Micro-Insurance Expansion: The healthcare market is experiencing an expansion of micro-insurance options, making healthcare more accessible to a broader population.
  • Enhanced Care Delivery: Innovations in care delivery practices are optimising patient outcomes and experiences.
  • Point of Care (POC) Solutions: A surge in POC healthcare solutions is streamlining diagnostics and treatment at the point of need.
  • Focus on Home Diagnostics: There is a heightened emphasis on home diagnostics, empowering individuals to monitor and manage their health from the comfort of their homes.

According to a report by McKinsey, Africa is currently experiencing sub­stantial uptake in the use of digital health tools that could revolutionise service delivery. In the past two years, the African digital health space has seen unprecedented growth, with $123 million in investment secured by 55 start-ups in 2021. 

By expanding their use of digital health tools, African health systems could realise up to 15% efficiency gains by 2030 and reinvest the savings to improve access and outcomes.

Virtual interactions account for approximately 43% of potential efficiency gains in Kenya, 35% in Nigeria, and 39% in South Africa in 2030.

Career opportunities in the healthcare industry in Africa

Africa is an emerging economy and has been placed in an important focal point of attention of the globalised world. Its economy is rapidly growing, and there is a rising middle class and it is boasting of important entrepreneurial ventures tailored to the local context. 

With economic improvements, Africa’s focus on healthcare improvement is only likely to grow – hospitals and healthcare that are better managed will see definite growth in the coming days. Good healthcare is ensured only by good management and requires the resources to be planned, managed, directed and controlled effectively.

What about the career opportunities? Let us examine a few career opportunities and trends in the healthcare industry in Africa. 

You could be associating yourself with an organisation like Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation or United Nations to offer them advice on how to set up their activities in the African context. 

Your healthcare degree leverages your understanding of the local conditions to become an expert. Or you could be overseeing a healthcare technology company’s operations in Africa to advise on how the technology can be used for last-mile healthcare delivery. Or you could be working for the government and leading its citizen health outreach programmes. 

As a healthcare manager, you could be creating and implementing healthcare strategies and lead a competent team to the successful realisation of the organisation’s goals. 

It is interesting to note that the representation of private players in the African healthcare space has rapidly gone up, especially in investing. However, there is an openly stated lack of healthcare managers who have been trained in the finer aspects of managing healthcare institutions.

Healthcare management degree: A gateway to leadership

What does a healthcare management degree prepare you for? It prepares you to be leaders of healthcare facilities, health services and systems. It equips individuals to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring the smooth functioning of hospitals and facilities, overseeing the quality of care, and adeptly managing budgets. 

Beyond the intrinsic motivation of making a difference in people’s lives, the pursuit of a healthcare management degree also unveils a spectrum of career opportunities, particularly within the unique context of Africa.

At Eaton Business School, we offer WES Approved Executive MBA programs in Healthcare Management specialisation. 

Our programs provide a unique opportunity for working professionals to seamlessly integrate work and educational aspirations with renowned European Universities. We are here to address your queries and guide you towards transforming your career into a meaningful and impactful role within the healthcare sector. Join us on this transformative journey, and let’s shape the future of healthcare management in Africa together.

References:

  1. https://www.msudenver.edu/hep/healthcaremanagement/benefitsofhealthcaremanagement/
  2. https://www.pyxeraglobal.org/management-education-critical-effective-healthcare-africa/

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