ISfTeH Launches Ghana Chapter: A milestone in advancing digital health across Africa

The International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth (ISfTeH) officially launched its Ghana Chapter today, marking a historic moment as the first ISfTeH national chapter in Africa.

The virtual launch event, streamed live on LinkedIn via the Health Parliament page, brought together global leaders in digital health to celebrate this expansion and underscore the role of collaboration in bridging the digital health divide.

The Ghana Chapter, chaired by Dr Dennis Addo, CEO of Claron Health International, aims to transform healthcare delivery in Ghana through innovative digital and telehealth solutions. With a vision to ensure “no one is left behind,” the chapter will focus on advocacy, education, innovation, and national-international collaboration.

Key priorities include growing membership, mapping digital health stakeholders, and fostering partnerships to address urban-rural disparities in healthcare access.

Dr Rajendra Pratap Gupta, ISfTeH Board Member and Chairman of the Global Chapters Initiative, highlighted the significance of the launch:

“Today is a historic day as Ghana brings Africa to the global stage. This is the second global chapter we are launching, enlarging our footprint after three decades of advancing digital health. Collaboration is key in this rapidly changing environment, and the Ghana Chapter will bridge the collaborative divide to accelerate digital adoption.”

Professor Yunkap Kwankam, Executive Director of ISfTeH, emphasized the society’s commitment to global knowledge sharing and AI-driven innovations:

“Ghana, welcome to the family. Your dedication will achieve great things for the people of Ghana, Africa, and the world. We are inspired by Margaret Mead’s words: ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.’”

As the chief guest, Salim Azzabi Zouraq, Digital Health and Innovation Officer at the World Health Organization (WHO), unveiled the chapter and issued a challenge:

“I challenge the Ghana Chapter to engage in mapping digital health solutions in Ghana. Currently, we have only three projects listed in our inventory—I’m sure there are more. This will enable better ecosystem engagement and support national strategies.”

Dr Dennis Addo outlined the chapter’s mission:

“Our motto is ‘Connect, Care, and Innovate.’ We will serve as a platform connecting government, private sector, academia, and communities to drive digital health transformation. Priorities include policy engagement, education, innovations for underserved areas, and research. We invite everyone—healthcare professionals, startups, NGOs—to join us.”

Jessica Mayenda, Senior Manager at VillageReach, shared insights from the Global Telehealth Community of Practice (GTCoP):

“Partnerships fuel innovation. Telehealth must prioritize equity for women, youth, and vulnerable groups. We congratulate Ghana and look forward to collaborating on resilient, government-owned systems.”

Prof. Georgi Chaltikyan, Founder and Chairman of the Armenian Association of Digital Health (the first ISfTeH chapter launched in April), extended congratulations:

“This is a tremendous honor for Ghana as the first African chapter. It boosts global collaboration in digital health.”

The event also featured discussions on AI for health, self-care interventions, and aligning with WHO’s Global Strategy on Digital Health (2020–2027). Participants encouraged interested parties to join the Ghana Chapter by contacting Dr Addo via LinkedIn or emailing chapters@isfteh.org.

Upcoming activities include a roundtable in September and contributions to national digital health mapping.

ISfTeH, an NGO in official relations with WHO, has been a global leader in digital health for over three decades, with a footprint in more than 100 countries. The Global Chapters Initiative aims to support countries in shaping policies, roadmaps, and deployments to fast-track digital health adoption.