24 October 2024 (Dakar, Senegal) – The African Women in Digital Health movement, an initiative borne out of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Digital Transformation Strategy in collaboration with Speak Up Africa, is proud to announce the final selection of mentees for its Mentorship program. 

These exceptional women were selected based on the strength of their contribution to digital transformation as a tool for enhancing healthcare delivery and improving health outcomes, particularly for underserved populations.  The winning mentees are (in alphabetical order):

• Estelle Kelly Nguefang Ketchejeu, Founding member, Ophthalmology Practice and Research Observatory (OphPRO) – Cameroon 
• Inas Abdelwahed, Co-founder, Otida – Egypt 
• Matimba Molly Chilala, Founder, Let’s Walk – Zambia 
• Terry Mochire, Co-founder, IntelliSOFT Consulting Ltd – Kenya
• Dr. Victory Ifeanyichukwu Uzoma, Co-founder, MedVax Health – Nigeria 

The selection process was highly competitive, drawing applications from across the continent. The final mentees were identified after reviewing 96 applications across 26 countries, which were narrowed down to 15 finalists before the final selection was made. These mentees represent each of Africa’s regions: North (Egypt), East (Kenya), South (Zambia), West (Nigeria), and Central Africa (Cameroon).

Anicia Santos, Senior Solutions Architect at Prevent Epidemics at Resolve to Save Lives, a program partner, explains, “Through this selection process, we have seen incredibly thoughtful patient-centred solutions, addressing not only the health challenge but also the market and resource availability challenges. These solutions have demonstrated promising results, and the mentorship program will accelerate realizing their potential impact.”

Their digital health solutions are overcoming various access challenges throughout the continent. These include widening access to medical professionals, medicines, and vaccines, providing specialized physiotherapy services for disabled children, and monitoring vital health data for those suffering from sickle cell disease.

In congratulating the mentees, Africa CDC Digital Strategy Advisor Cyril Seck, a program partner, noted, “We continue to see inspiring examples of women’s meaningful engagement, representation and leadership in digital health. The AWiDH movement is here to support the adoption of digital healthcare technologies spearheaded by women. Through initiatives like the Mentorship Program, it focuses on enhancing their business acumen and leadership capabilities.”

The five mentees will attend a retreat in Mombasa, Kenya, also known as the “Silicon Savannah.” During the retreat, they will participate in training seminars, workshops, and one-on-one mentoring sessions with their mentors.

AWiDH is working to pioneer the adoption of digital healthcare technologies spearheaded by women. The mentorship program seeks to increase the representation and leadership of African women in the digital health space by matching mentees with experienced mentors who have significant experience in the healthcare sector, from financing to technology to policy.