Aims:To identify virtual healthcare services and digital health technologies deployed in South Africa during coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)and the challenges associated with their use.Methods:To determine the status of digital health utilization during COVID-19 in South Africa,the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses model was used to perform a systematic and in-depth critical analysis of previously published studies in well-known and trusted online electronic databases using specific search keywords words that are relevant to this study.We selected published peer-reviewed articles available from the onset of COVID-19 to July 2021.Results:Total of 24 articles were included into this study.This study revealed that South Africa adopted digital technologies such as SMS-based solutions,mobile health applications,telemedicine and telehealth,WhatsApp-based systems,artificial intelligence and chatbots and robotics to provide healthcare services during COVID-19 pandemic.These innovative technologies have been used for various purposes including screening infectious and non-infectious diseases,disease surveillance and monitoring,medication and treatment compliance,creating awareness and communication.The study also revealed that teleconsultation and e-prescription,telelaboratory and telepharmacy,teleeducation and teletraining,teledermatology,teleradiology,telecardiology,teleophthal-mology,teleneurology,telerehabilitation,teleoncology and telepsychiatry are among virtual healthcare services delivered through digital health technologies during COVID-19 in South Africa.However,these smart digital health technologies face several impediments such as infrastructural and technological barriers,organization and financial barriers,policy and regulatory barriers as well as cultural barriers.Conclusion:Although COVID-19 has invigorated the use of digital health technologies,there are still some short-comings.The outbreak of pandemics like COVID-19 in the future is not inevitable.Therefore,we recommend increasing community networks in rural areas to bridge the digital divide and the modification of mHealth pol-icy to advocate for the effective use of innovative technologies in healthcare and the development of sustainable strategies for resources mobilization through private-public partnerships as well as joining available international initiatives advocating for smart digital health.

Elliot Mbunge;John Batani;Goabaone Gaobotse;Benhildah Muchemwa

Department of Computer Science,Faculty of Science and Engineering,University of Eswatini,Kwaluseni,Manzini,Eswatini;Department of Information Technology,Faculty of Accounting and Informatics,Durban University of Technology,South Africa;Faculty of Engineering and Technology,Botho University,Lesotho;Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology,Faculty of Science,Botswana International University of Science and Technology,Botswana

全球健康杂志（英文）

[1]Elliot Mbunge;John Batani;Goabaone Gaobotse;Benhildah Muchemwa-.Virtual healthcare services and digital health technologies deployed during coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic in South Africa:a systematic review)[J].全球健康杂志（英文）,2022(02):102-113

WhatsApp,chatbots,teleconsultation,telelaboratory,telepharmacy,teleeducation,teletraining,teledermatology,teleradiology,telecardiology,teleophthal,mology,teleneurology,teleoncology,telepsychiatry,invigorated

Virtual,healthcare,services,digital,technologies,deployed,during,coronavirus,South,Africa,systematic,Aims,identify,virtual,challenges,associated,their,Methods,determine,status,utilization,preferred,reporting,items,reviews,meta,analyses,model,was,used,perform,depth,critical,analysis,previously,published,studies,well,known,trusted,online,electronic,databases,using,specific,search,keywords,that,relevant,this,study,We,selected,peer,reviewed,articles,available,from,onset,July,Results,Total,were,included,into,This,revealed,adopted,such,SMS,solutions,mobile,applications,telemedicine,telehealth,systems,artificial,intelligence,robotics,provide,These,innovative,have,been,various,purposes,including,screening,infectious,diseases,surveillance,monitoring,medication,treatment,compliance,creating,awareness,communication,also,prescription,telerehabilitation,among,delivered,through,However,these,smart,face,several,impediments,infrastructural,technological,barriers,organization,financial,policy,regulatory,cultural,Conclusion,Although,has,there,still,some,short,comings,outbreak,pandemics,like,future,not,inevitable,Therefore,recommend,increasing,community,networks,rural,areas,bridge,divide,modification,mHealth,advocate,effective,development,sustainable,strategies,resources,mobilization,private,public,partnerships,joining,international,initiatives,advocating

0.517556