DAKAR, Senegal/GENEVA, Switzerland - The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) and Speak Up Africa (SUA) will exclusively announce the final three winners of the first Africa Young Innovators for Health Award. The announcement will take place during the official Award ceremony from 09:30 (GMT) on Thursday, 16th September 2021. The Ceremony will be a hybrid event in Dakar, Senegal and online. 

The Awards ceremony will convene prominent healthcare leaders from across Africa and beyond, from entrepreneurs to technical, business and policy experts to celebrate African Innovation. The final three winners shall receive up to $40,000 in financial support and business mentorship and expert support and advice on intellectual property protection to help them develop their solutions to some of Africa's most pressing healthcare challenges.

This years' Award theme focuses on supporting innovations that equip, protect and train healthcare workers in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s designation of 2021 as the International Year of Health and Care Workers. The year recognises the dedication of the millions of healthcare workers at the forefront of the Covid-19 pandemic. "We believe that new solutions are needed to support, equip, protect and train healthcare workers. And young African entrepreneurs are best placed to find those solutions. The continent's future is bright. With this Award, we are even more confident that the next generation has what it takes to improve the lot of the continent. Providing African solutions to African challenges" says Yacine Djibo, Executive Director, Speak Up Africa. 

Africa is home to the youngest population and one of the highest entrepreneurship rates in the world. The continent's demographic dividend coupled with its enterprising skills presents a considerable opportunity to fuel innovation to help advance promising healthcare solutions. "This Award recognises that young people are one of Africa's greatest assets and the Ceremony will be a unique opportunity to showcase and celebrate African excellence in healthcare innovation." says Greg Perry, Assistant Director-General at IFPMA.

The Africa Young Innovators For Health Award is also an investment in the human capital of Africa's promising young entrepreneurs. The Award provides financial and in-kind support to three winners of the Award so they can advance their healthcare solutions and develop their great potential as enablers of change.

 The Africa Young Innovators for Health Award is supported by AMREF Health Africa, BroadReach, Ecobank Academy, IntraHealth International, Microsoft4Afrika, the Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle, the Ouagadougou Partnership, the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, and Social Change Factory, alongside our media partners: Africa.com, Télésud and SciDev.Net.

·         Find out more about the Award at www.africayounginnovatorsforhealth.org 

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Speak Up Africa.

For all press enquiries contact:

·      Award Secretariat: Uzoamaka Madu, uzo@whatsinitforafrica.com 

·      IFPMA: Paloma Tejada, p.tejada@ifpma.org 

·      Speak Up Africa: Maelle Ba, maelle.ba@speakupafrica.org 

Visit: https://africayounginnovatorsforhealth.org/ 

About the Partners 

IFPMA represents research-based pharmaceutical companies and associations across the globe. Research-based pharmaceutical companies make a unique contribution to global health as innovators of lifesaving and life-changing medicines and vaccines, which improved millions of lives around the world. Based in Geneva, IFPMA has official relations with the United Nations and contributes industry expertise to help the global health community find solutions that improve global health.

Speak Up Africa is a policy and advocacy action tank dedicated to catalysing leadership, enabling policy change, and increasing awareness for sustainable development in Africa. Through their platforms and relationships and with the help of partners, Speak Up Africa ensures that policy makers meet implementers; that solutions are showcased and that every sector – from individual citizens and civil society groups to global donors and business leaders – contributes critically to the dialogue and strives to form the blueprints for concrete action for public health and sustainable development.

Send us your press releases to pressrelease.zawya@refinitiv.com

© Press Release 2021

Disclaimer: The contents of this press release was provided from an external third party provider. This website is not responsible for, and does not control, such external content. This content is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither this website nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this press release.

The press release is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Neither this website nor our affiliates shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions taken by you in reliance thereon. You expressly agree that your use of the information within this article is at your sole risk.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website, its parent company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and the respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers and licensors will not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, including without limitation, lost profits, lost savings and lost revenues, whether in negligence, tort, contract or any other theory of liability, even if the parties have been advised of the possibility or could have foreseen any such damages.