Dr. Kelly Collins and Gillian Javetski join co-hosts Jonathan Jackson and Amie Vaccaro for a candid conversation about the market for digital health products.

Kelly returned from the World Health Assembly with a burning question: How can we teach global health to buy software as a commodity, the same way they might buy drugs or diagnostic tools? How might we peel back the influence of aid and donor funds on digital health so that we can build tech products for global health that matter?

In this conversation, Gillian, Kelly and Jonathan each share their approaches to maintaining focus on solving problems and creating value for the digital health user across CommCare, SureAdhere and CommCare Connect. 

Topics include: 

• The dual challenge of increasing security demands and increasingly limited funding
• The lag in procurement maturity compared to technological advancements, and the importance of creating must-have, high-value products.
• What it takes to shift from donor-driven to user-focused development
• Dimagi’s ability and strategic position to lead this shift
• The need for better market education to support a healthier market for tech products in global health and development

Show Notes:

• Is Aid Killing The Startup Ecosystem In Africa? (Part 1) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/aid-killing-startup-ecosystem-africa-part-1-david-chen-mgi8e
• Is Aid Killing the African Startup Ecosystem? (Part 2) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/aid-killing-african-startup-ecosystem-part-2-david-chen-ovp4e
• Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Aid-Working-Better-Africa/dp/0374532125 
• CommCare connect year in review: https://dimagi.com/commcare-connect-2023/ 
• CommCare Connect reaches a milestone of 100,000 service deliveries: https://dimagi.com/commcare-connect-reaches-100000-deliveries/
• CommCare webpage: https://dimagi.com/commcare/ 
• Sureadhere webpage: https://dimagi.com/sureadhere/ 
• Steele Foundation for Hope: https://www.steelefoundationforhope.org/