The digital health landscape in Africa is set for change. This transformation comes with the launch of the Youth in Digital Health Network (YiDHN). The Africa CDC is spearheading this initiative in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit-African Union (GIZ-AU) office.
The announcement happened on the sidelines of the 2024 Africa HealthTech Summit in Kigali, Rwanda. This youth-led initiative aims to amplify young voices. It fosters leadership. It connects innovators with multilateral organizations across the health and technology sectors.
A Collaborative Approach to Shaping Digital Health
The launch followed a two-day co-creation workshop. During this workshop, participants explored opportunities and challenges in integrating youth into the Africa CDC’s Digital Transformation Strategy (DTS). Collaborative sessions focused on overcoming barriers to youth-led innovation and increasing youth participation in health policy and decision-making.
Dr. Jean Philbert Nsengimana is the Chief Digital Advisor at Africa CDC. He highlighted the importance of YiDHN’s role within Africa’s broader digital health networks.
This strategy aims to revolutionise health systems across the continent. It will do so through the adoption of digital technologies. It also promotes data-driven decision-making and fosters collaborative solutions to combat health challenges. Our goal is to improve health outcomes for all African Union Member States,” he said.
Addressing Key Challenges
During the workshop, participants identified four critical challenges for YiDHN to tackle:
- Digital Literacy: Bridging the digital divide to empower youth with the skills needed to engage in the digital health space.
- Regulatory and Policy Frameworks: Advocating for policies that support youth-led innovation and digital health initiatives.
- Funding and Innovation Gaps: Improving access to financial resources to support youth-driven health technology projects.
- Stakeholder Access: Facilitating meaningful connections with government, private sector leaders, and other key stakeholders.
Mr. Ibraheem Sanusi, Head of the Project for Strengthening Crisis and Pandemic Action in Africa at the GIZ-AU office, emphasized the youth-driven nature of the initiative:
“This is an initiative designed and created by young people themselves. All we have done is to provide the platform, resources, and incentives required to move from talking to doing,” he said.
Empowering African Youth to Transform Healthcare
The YiDHN aims to empower African youth to lead the creation of digitally enabled, equitable, and resilient healthcare systems. It aligns with the broader vision of the African Digital Health Network. This network seeks to unite digital health communities across the continent. Their goals are to share knowledge, build partnerships, drive innovation, and enhance capacity building.
Key strategic objectives of YiDHN include:
- Empowering Youth Leadership: Promoting digital literacy and equipping youth with the skills to lead in digital health.
- Increasing Youth Participation: Encouraging youth engagement in governance, policy development, and decision-making.
- Facilitating Innovation: Providing access to funding and resources to foster sustainable health technology innovations.
- Building Partnerships: Strengthening collaboration with governments, private sector entities, and multilateral organizations.
Transforming Health Systems Through Digital Innovation
Dr. Chrys Promesse Kaniki, Senior Technical Officer for Strategic Programmes at Africa CDC, highlighted the importance of the YiDHN. He stressed its role in tackling healthcare disparities and inefficiencies across the continent.
“We know that digital solutions have the potential to transform the health sector by reducing costs and improving access, especially in hard-to-reach areas across our continent,” he said. “YiDHN is driven by the need to overcome these challenges. It aims to accelerate Africa’s efforts toward universal health coverage. It also strives for better health outcomes for all.”
The YiDHN empowers young Africans with the tools and opportunities to lead in digital health. This initiative is set to foster sustainable and innovative healthcare solutions. These solutions can reshape the future of healthcare in Africa.