Abstract
Big data is having a positive impact in almost every sphere of life, such as in military intelligence, space science, aviation, banking, and health. Big data is a growing force in healthcare. Even though healthcare systems in the developed world are recording some breakthroughs due to the application of big data, it is important to research the impact of big data in developing regions of the world, such as Africa. Healthcare systems in Africa are, in relative terms, behind the rest of the world. Platforms and technologies used to amass big data such as the Internet and mobile phones are already in use in Africa, thereby making big data applications to be emerging. Hence, the key research question we address is whether big data applications can improve healthcare in Africa especially during epidemics and through the public health system. In this study, a literature review is carried out, firstly to present cases of big data applications in healthcare in Africa, and secondly, to explore potential ethical challenges of such applications. This review will provide an update on the application of big data in the health sector in Africa that can be useful for future researchers and health care practitioners in Africa.
Highlights
According to Wamba et al (2015), big data is an all-inclusive approach to managing, processing and analysing huge volumes of data for providing insights, so that we can have a better advantage when making decisions
The key research question we address is whether big data applications can improve healthcare in Africa especially during epidemics and through the public health system
This review will provide an update on the application of big data in the health sector in Africa that can be useful for future researchers and health care practitioners in Africa
Summary
According to Wamba et al (2015), big data is an all-inclusive approach to managing, processing and analysing huge volumes of data for providing insights, so that we can have a better advantage when making decisions. The healthcare sector is such that it generates huge volumes of data, which is propelled by keeping meticulous patient-health records (Raghupathi, 2010). It is logical to assume that big data has a big role to play in improving the health sector of under-developed regions of the world. One such under-developed regions of the world is Africa, and technically, the continent is adjudged to be an unhealthy continent due to prevalence of epidemics and inadequate infrastructure to sustain healthcare (KPMG, 2012). Users of mobile phones subscription in Africa as at February (2016) have reached about 700 million (Adepetun, 2016) Such huge mobile phones subscription means huge generation of big data. It is hoped that this review will provide an update on the application of big data in the health sector in Africa continent, and spur others to research this invaluable problem
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