By Adedapo Adesanya
The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) and Speak Up Africa have announced the CEO of Nigeria’s healthtech startup, Mrs Teniola Adedeji, alongside Dr Ochora Moses (Uganda) as the winners of the second edition of the Africa Young Innovators for Health Award.
The announcement was made at the Galien Forum Africa, which celebrates creativity and excellence in science in Africa. The Africa Young Innovators for Health Award supports pioneering young entrepreneurs with financial and in-kind opportunities they need to advance their innovations for better health outcomes in their communities.
Mrs Izath Nura (Uganda) and Mr Abdullahi Muhammad Habibu (Nigeria) were also announced as second-prize winners.
For its second edition, the award focused on innovations to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Africa.
Many African governments have shown their commitment to achieving UHC by 2030, but progress needs to be accelerated. The award focused on innovation that can help extend population coverage, extend service coverage, and ensure financial protection for patients.
“Winning the first prize of the Award further validates Pharmarun’s mission of providing fast and easy access to medication. We are committed to ensuring medication access through fostering more collaborations among pharmacies to ensure universal health coverage, beginning with medication and pharmaceutical care,” Mrs Adedeji said.
She heads Phamarun, an on-demand platform that offers a convenient solution to fragmented access to essential medications.
Her co-winner, Dr Ochora, is the co-founder and CEO of Photo-Kabada, a hybrid remotely monitored, phototherapy device created as a solution to reduce the burden, morbidity, and mortality associated with neonatal jaundice, especially in low and middle-income countries.
He said, “The Photo-Kabada team is humbled by this Award. This is an opportunity for us to move closer to our dreams of getting out of the lab into the clinical space where sick babies are. The award is also a testament to the fact that homegrown solutions are part of the drivers of Universal Health Coverage.”
Congratulating the winners, Mr Thomas Cueni, Director General, IFPMA said, “We wanted to guarantee gender equality in this year’s awards, and I’m delighted that two women and two men have won. IFPMA continues to be committed to accelerating innovation as part of delivering Universal Healthcare Coverage, and today’s Award winners will undoubtedly make a huge contribution to this goal.”
Mr Yacine Djibo, Executive Director and Founder of Speak Up Africa, the award partner, said, “Reaching the goal of UHC by 2030 requires substantial public sector investment and accelerated action by governments and partners, building on solid evidence and reorienting health systems to a primary health care approach, to advance equity in both the delivery of essential health services and financial protection. It also requires fresh, bold, and fit-for-purpose health innovations, and this is why the Award’s second edition was based on this theme.”
Adding his input, Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall, the Director of Neglected Tropical Diseases at the World Health Organization and Jury Member of the second edition said achieving universal health coverage by 2030 is crucial for fulfilling the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and realizing the fundamental human right to health.
“I am very thankful and supportive of such a programme that significantly contributes to the achievement of our common goals through tangible and intangible support to African entrepreneurs.”
