OBJECTIVES: The field of Robotics is fast growing in healthcare with the emergence of 4th industrial revolution, however this growth has almost exclusively occurred in the developed countries compared to Africa. This study aims to assess the opportunities of robotics in improving healthcare delivery and some of its challenges in Africa.

METHODS: The study reviewed related previously published peer-reviewed articles. Literature search was conducted on Google Scholar and PubMed for articles published from 2010 to 2020 and search result showed 3,990 and 11 articles respectively. Search keywords were Africa, robotic, healthcare delivery, challenges and opportunities. Articles that contained two or more of the keywords in its topic or abstract and also aligned with objective of the study were selected.

RESULTS: Only 15 articles out of about 4,000 articles screened met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Robotics will increase medical workforce, reduce medical errors, allow fast and accurate drug dispensation and delivery of medical supplies and blood in African countries. Specialists worldwide can provide medical care remotely through robotic telemedicine and telesurgery reducing morbidity and mortality in Africa. Robots incorporated with machine learning algorithms can extract valuable insight from structured and unstructured data and indicators contributing to proactive decision making that will drive effective solutions to public health issues in Africa. Some of the challenges identified include poverty, poor infrastructure, unreliable power supply and language barrier as most robots may not understand local African languages. Trained robotic medical personnel, advance IT training in medical schools and technical know-how for maintenance and repair of robots are still inadequate or absent in African countries.

CONCLUSIONS: Robotics will greatly improve healthcare delivery in Africa. Support from government and international organizations can help overcome the challenges of robotics in healthcare delivery in Africa and ensure delivery of its many promises.