Africa at the Forefront of Digital Diagnostics: The perspective of a passionate global public health practitioner.

“The future of healthcare depends on diagnostics. Africa must not only catch up but lead,” says Helen Ogochukwu Nwandu,
A public health practitioner and a specialist biomedical scientist in Quality within the United Kingdom National Health Services (NHS) Pathology Directorate.
Helen speaks from both African and global experience. She has worked on HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, Ebola, Lassa Fever, and COVID-19 clinical research under major international collaborations and played a central role in achieving ISO 15189 accreditation at one of Nigeria’s first military reference laboratories.

Today, she embeds real-time quality systems within the NHS, and her recent work explores the role of artificial intelligence and bioinformatics in strengthening public health resilience. Her dual perspective, which is rooted in Nigeria and refined in the UK ,gives weight to her call for Africa to claim its space in global health leadership.

Diagnostics drive modern healthcare, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimating that 70% of medical decisions depend on laboratory results. Yet across Africa, diagnostic access remains patchy, slowing progress against diseases that affect millions. As global demand for diagnostics accelerates, the question is not whether Africa can catch up, but whether it can lead.

“Excellent medical diagnostics should never depend on geography. Whether in London or Lagos, patients deserve the same level of accuracy, safety, and trust. My mission is to close that gap.” Helen Ogochukwu Nwandu says

The global clinical diagnostics market is projected to reach USD 169 billion by 2030, while clinical laboratory testing is set to hit USD 213 billion in the same period (Grand View Research). Beyond medicine, the World Economic Forum projects that Africa’s digital health market could unlock about $259 billion annually by 2030 ( Grand View Research 2025). Diagnostics is no longer just a health issue, it is an economic and development frontier.

Africa has the opportunity to outpace the rest of the world. With a young, tech-driven population and increasing investment in health innovation, the continent can adopt AI-powered tools, cloud-based laboratory systems, and digital data platforms faster than older, rigid systems elsewhere. These solutions can cut delays, improve accuracy, and strengthen early detection of both infectious and chronic diseases.

“Every outbreak has taught us one truth: no country is safe until all are safe. Strengthening laboratory systems in Africa is not just regional development; it is global health security.” Helen Ogochukwu Nwandu says

The next frontier in healthcare will not be won by treatment alone but by accurate, accessible, and tech-enabled diagnostics. With the right investment, Africa can deliver systems that are both globally competitive and locally relevant.
“By combining digital innovation with robust quality management systems adapted to our context, we can raise standards and protect communities everywhere,” Helen Ogochukwu Nwandu says.

Helen’s vision is simple but urgent: “Africa must not wait for solutions to arrive from outside. It must build, innovate, and lead for itself and for the world.”