African healthcare transformation through Co-creation

This conceptual paper undertakes a critical examination of the potential of value co-creation to transform healthcare delivery in Africa, a continent grappling with myriad healthcare challenges. By synthesizing existing literature and leveraging the Service-Dominant Logic framework, the study identified and categorized key barriers to value co-creation in African healthcare into two distinct categories: structural barriers (including technology, physical environment, service design system, and fragile healthcare system) and human-centered barriers (encompassing patient empowerment, limited health literacy, and cultural barriers). Through a qualitative desktop research approach, this study develops a novel conceptual framework that illustrates the value co-creation process in African healthcare, underscoring the imperative of addressing these multifaceted barriers to facilitate effective co-creation. The analysis contributes to the understanding of value co-creation in the African healthcare context, highlighting its potential to enhance patient outcomes, improve satisfaction, and foster more resilient healthcare systems. The findings have profound implications for theory, practice, and policy, informing the development of more patient-centered, contextually relevant, and sustainable care models that can improve healthcare delivery in Africa. By reimagining healthcare through the lens of co-creation, this study offers valuable insights into innovative solutions for Africa’s complex healthcare challenges, with potential applications for policymakers, healthcare practitioners, and researchers.