Digital health and inequities in healthcare access in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review

Digital health entails the development and use of digital technologies to improve health care delivery and access (Yeung et al., 2023). It involves the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to enhance and support in health and lifestyle management, as well as prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases (Mumtaz et al., 2023). Technological tools such as mhealth, ehealth, telemedicine and others has been widely adopted to support delivery of healthcare services across the globe. Technologies such as smart devices, portable devices, wearables, web based tools, social media, and other mobile applications have changed how healthcare is delivered and accessed (Kelly et al., 2020; Marques et al., 2019; Monteiro et al., 2018; Pradhan et al., 2021; Son & Kwon, 2023). The improvement in internet technologies across the globe, has further enhanced access to healthcare information. Furthermore, the technology has improved in management and dissemination of healthcare information, enabling effective use of healthcare information (Senbekov et al., 2020a; Son & Kwon, 2023; Volkov et al., 2021). Evidence shows that digital technologies reduce the time required to access healthcare information by enabling individuals to obtain health advice and support without physically visiting a healthcare facility (Marques et al., 2019; Monteiro et al., 2018; Navaz et al., 2021; Son & Kwon, 2023). Furthermore, these technologies expand access to treatment remotely through services such as telemedicine, mobile health applications, and remote monitoring, allowing patients to receive consultations, diagnoses, and follow up care from their homes or communities (Alenoghena et al., 2023; Perez et al., 2025; Senbekov et al., 2020b; Yeung et al., 2023). Some studies further highlight that integration of technology in healthcare saves costs by minimising transportation costs as well as costs incurred through unnecessary in person consultations and hospital admissions (Ezeamii et al., 2024; Gentili et al., 2022; Pradhan et al., 2021). Technological advancements are associated with costs. The use of digital technologies in accessing healthcare support would therefore require costs for devices such as smartphones, computers tablets and other devices (Aceto et al., 2018; Ezeamii et al., 2024; Snoswell et al., 2020). The users further need data to facilitate access and sharing of healthcare information. Additionally, it requires indirect costs for training, maintenance, and system integration. Technological adoption remains limited and uneven in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) due to high costs of devices and internet connectivity, unreliable electricity, and low levels of digital literacy (Craig et al., 2025). Sub-Saharan Africa, being one of the regions within LMIC, is one of the regions that would require an investigation regarding the influence of technologies in healthcare inequalities. There is a scarcity of reviews that have comprehensively investigated digital health and inequalities in access to healthcare in SSA. This review seeks to address this gap through a comprehensive synthesis of existing evidence to offer a clearer understanding of the extent, nature, and drivers of digital health related inequalities in access to healthcare in sub Saharan Africa.