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The digital innovator Smart Africa and the German development agency GIZ have signed a “Strategic Cooperation Framework on Digital Health” to support the creation of the African Health Data Space, a cross-border system for sharing health data. The aim is to enhance access, reliability and utilisation of health data among African states.
The deal targets data compatibility and digital health integration, including harmonised regulation. It also sets out to build governance frameworks for ethical handling of health data.
Cross-border data sharing will aid early warning for climate-linked diseases such as cholera. Regional tracking of health and environmental trends will help governments respond to outbreaks worsened by extreme weather.
Our take: This partnership marks a key step towards strengthening health data systems across Africa and aligning them with international standards…Read more (2 min)
Keeping vaccines cold was previously a daily gamble in Ngatu, a remote village in Kenya’s Kajiado County. Without electricity, the local dispensary struggled to store vaccines safely, often relying on distant facilities. This situation changed with the arrival of the Vaccibox, a portable, solar-powered refrigerator, which stabilised routine immunisation services.
Nurse Janet Ogege, who leads the facility, no longer worries about power outages or spoiled vaccines. Mothers from neighbouring communities now travel to Ngatu specifically to access reliable vaccination services.
The Vaccibox is a portable, solar-powered vaccine refrigerator that maintains a temperature of 2–8°C using solar panels. It operates for up to 36 hours on battery power, auto-regulates its temperature, stores 3,000 doses and ensures safe vaccine delivery in off-grid settings.
Our conversation with Nurse Janet…Read more (2 min)
Motorcycle maker Yamaha Motor Europe has extended a three-year partnership with the non-governmental organisation Riders for Health to boost clinic access in Africa. The collaboration started in 2022 and utilises motorcycles to enhance rural healthcare delivery across Sub-Saharan Africa. The renewed agreement now extends to 2027.
Riders for Health currently operates in The Gambia, Lesotho, Malawi, and Nigeria. The charity employs motorcycles to reach remote communities, facilitating the delivery of medical supplies and support for public health campaigns. The bikes are selected for their reliability and capability to traverse off-road terrain.
Motorcycles contribute to climate resilience in Africa by improving healthcare access in remote areas affected by climate change. They deliver essential supplies during environmental crises and provide a low-emission, sustainable transport solution for addressing climate-driven health emergencies.
Our take: Mobility remains an afterthought in most health budgets, when it should be a dedicated line item in every health programme…Read more (2 min)
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Partners commission a $750 million African Medical Centre of Excellence in Abuja to deliver advanced oncology, cardiology and research care.
Events
🗓️ Join the European Clinical Trials Partnership Forum (June 20)
🗓️ Attend the Africa Health Business Symposium in Nigeria (July 16)
🗓️ Participate in the World Health Expo in Kenya (October 6)
Jobs
🧑⚕️ Become the Health and Nutrition Lead at Samaritan's Purse (South Sudan)
🧑⚕️ Apply to be the next Patient Access Officer at King Faisal Hospital (Rwanda)
🧑⚕️ Join JamPot as a Healthcare Virtual Assistant (South Africa)
🧑⚕️ Serve as Senior TB Advisor for USAID LEAP Global (Kenya)
Various
💉 South Africa champions vaccine equity at G20
🤝 Firm and bank partner to empower healthcare entrepreneurs in Nigeria
Seen on LinkedIn
Joash Nara, East African Director of Business and Partnerships at Vecna, says, “Healthtech is amazing. But if it doesn’t meet people where they are, literally and metaphorically , then it’s just decoration.”
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