ICT and eHealth, including Health Technology Planning and Prioritization, are important topics for the development of health systems and services in the digital age. According to the National Digital Health Strategy for South Africa 2019 – 2024, ICT and eHealth can enable better access, quality, efficiency, and equity in healthcare delivery, as well as support the achievement of universal health coverage (UHC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Some of the key components of ICT and eHealth include:

• Telehealth and telemedicine, which use ICT to deliver health care services remotely, such as consultations, diagnosis, treatment, and education.
•  Mobile health (mHealth), which uses mobile devices and applications to provide health information, services, and interventions.
• Electronic medical or health records (eMR/eHR), which store and manage health data electronically, facilitating data sharing, integration, and analysis.
• Big data, which refers to large and complex datasets that can be used for health research, surveillance, decision-making, and innovation.
• Wearables, which are devices that can monitor and measure various health indicators, such as heart rate, blood pressure, activity levels, and sleep quality.
• Artificial intelligence (AI), is the ability of machines or software to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as reasoning, learning, problem-solving, and decision-making.

These technologies can help improve health outcomes, reduce costs, enhance patient experience and satisfaction, empower health workers and communities, and foster collaboration and coordination among different stakeholders. However, they also pose some challenges and risks, such as ethical, legal, social, technical, and financial issues that need to be addressed carefully. Therefore, it is essential to have a clear vision, strategy, and governance framework for ICT and eHealth that aligns with national health priorities and policies.