The Malagasy government has introduced a smart queue management system and a digital medical records platform in two university hospitals in Antananarivo as part of its pilot digitalisation project for public hospitals.
These advancements aim to improve care coordination, streamline hospital operations, and provide faster, more consistent patient services. The initiative signals a move toward wider adoption across the country in the coming months or years.
However, the success of these digital health tools hinges not only on technology deployment but also critically on having a well-trained workforce capable of managing and utilising these systems effectively. The Ministry of Digital Development, Posts and Telecommunications emphasised that this initiative seeks to sustainably enhance healthcare efficiency and support hospital staff.
According to Madagascar’s “National Digital Health Strategy 2023-2027, only about 2% of healthcare workers involved in digital health had received relevant training in 2023. The strategy notes that specialised digital health skills are still under development and are being built alongside the rollout of new initiatives, with support from partners. The ministry recognises that advancing digital health will require a comprehensive review of existing skills, job functions, and the training system within the health sector.
To address skill gaps, a budget of approximately US$91,000 US dollars has been allocated to standardise staffing levels and enhance skills, although digital health training was not initially a top healthcare expenditure priority. The government has set a target to increase the proportion of health workers trained in digital health to 35% by 2027.
Nonetheless, experts caution that developing digital skills alone will not guarantee successful digital transformation. Critical factors include securing adequate funding,ensuring reliable infrastructure such as internet connectivity and data centres, providing modern equipment, and maintaining that equipment regularly. Additionally, safeguarding data security and raising user awareness are vital to ensuring the effective, sustainable adoption of digital health solutions.
This holistic approach underscores the complexity of digital health transformation, requiring coordinated efforts across technology, workforce capacity, infrastructure, and policy to truly enhance healthcare delivery in Madagascar.
