In a nation grappling with significant healthcare challenges, including a severe shortage of healthcare professionals, limited access to medical facilities, and a high burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), ZimSmart Villages, under the visionary leadership of the Vaka Health Foundation, has emerged as a beacon of hope. By harnessing the power of telehealth and digital innovation, ZimSmart Villages is not just bridging the gaps in Zimbabwe’s healthcare system; it is building a new, more equitable, and sustainable model of care for the 21st century.

Outcome Findings: A Story of Impact

The impact of ZimSmart Villages is already being felt across Zimbabwe. The initiative has successfully increased patient access to telehealth services for NCD management, improved the frequency of follow-up and treatment adherence, and enhanced access to diagnostic tools and medications for underserved populations. This has led to a number of positive outcomes, including:

• Increased early detection and timely treatment of NCDs: By bringing healthcare closer to the people, ZimSmart Villages is enabling earlier diagnosis and treatment of chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes, which are major causes of morbidity and mortality in Zimbabwe.
• Improved management of chronic conditions: Through regular follow-up and remote monitoring, ZimSmart Villages is helping patients to better manage their chronic conditions, leading to fewer hospital admissions and improved quality of life.
• Strengthened primary healthcare services: The expansion of telehealth infrastructure is strengthening primary healthcare services across the country, empowering local nurses and community health workers to play a more active role in disease prevention and management.

Lessons Learned: The Keys to Success

The success of ZimSmart Villages can be attributed to a number of key factors, which offer valuable lessons for other healthcare initiatives in Africa and beyond:

• The power of partnerships: ZimSmart Villages has forged strong partnerships with the Zimbabwean government, local and international organizations, and the private sector. These partnerships have been instrumental in securing the resources, expertise, and political will needed to drive the initiative forward.
• A supportive policy environment: The Zimbabwean government has created a supportive policy environment for telehealth, with the development of a National Digital Health Strategy and the licensing of Starlink, a satellite-based internet service. This has created a fertile ground for innovation and investment in digital health.
• Community engagement: ZimSmart Villages has placed a strong emphasis on community engagement, with the establishment of the “BatsiWomen” (The Orange Army) program, which empowers local women to become community health champions. This has helped to build trust and ownership of the initiative at the grassroots level.

Proposed Future Direction: Scaling Up for Greater Impact

Building on its impressive achievements to date, Vaka Health Foundation and ZimSmart Villages are well-positioned to scale up their operations and deepen their impact in the years to come. The following are some key recommendations for their future direction:

• Expand the network of telehealth kiosks: The goal of building 100 telehealth kiosks and 500 telehealth booths over the next two years is a crucial step towards achieving universal health coverage in Zimbabwe. This expansion should be guided by a data-driven approach, targeting the areas of greatest need.
• Broaden the range of services: ZimSmart Villages should continue to expand its range of services to include other key health priorities, such as maternal and child health, mental health, and infectious diseases.
• Leverage technology for greater impact: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning can help to further enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of telehealth services. For example, AI-powered diagnostic tools can help to improve the accuracy of diagnoses, while machine learning algorithms can be used to identify patients at high risk of developing chronic diseases.

By pursuing this ambitious future direction, Vaka Health Foundation and ZimSmart Villages can continue to transform the healthcare landscape in Zimbabwe and inspire a new generation of healthcare innovators across Africa.

Discover more about ZimSmart Villages:

ZimSmart Villages is a telehealth, wellness and remote monitoring ecosystem that is at the forefront of democratising access to health care through the establishment of telehealth kiosks located inside post offices in Zimbabwe.