By Yaser Kerachian – Senior Portfolio Manager, Business Development
My recent trip to Africa, which included the 4th African Health Research and Innovation Funders Forum (AHRIFF) in Cape Town, a site visit to Touch Health’s m-mama project, and the Grand Challenges Network of Partners Strategy and Coordination Meeting in Tanzania, provided valuable lessons on health innovation and collaboration. Below are the top insights from each event, highlighting what we’ve learned and how it can be applied moving forward.
Participants in the forum emphasized the need for funders to tailor strategies to community needs for lasting impact, not just short-term fixes.
Key Insights from the African Health Research and Innovation Funders Forum (AHRIFF)
The AHRIFF in Cape Town brought together stakeholders from across the globe to address pressing health challenges in Africa. Hosted by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), the forum aligned funders, governments, and development agencies in advancing health programs, covering essential topics from developing financing in Africa to sustainability in health programs.
Three Key Insights:
- Funding should align with Africa’s locally-defined priorities
A key takeaway from the Funders Forum in Africa is the importance of aligning funding efforts with the priorities set by African countries themselves, rather than imposing external perceptions of the continent’s challenges. These priorities should be locally defined and often build on existing programs already established by African governments or organizations. It is essential for funders to ensure they complement rather than duplicate these efforts.
- Building Africa’s capacity is essential for a resilient future
It is vital to prioritize funding for capacity building in Africa, both by investing in human capital and strengthening infrastructure. There are already well-established programs that train researchers and industry professionals, which funders and stakeholders should utilize to their advantage. On the infrastructure front, there was significant discussion about bolstering Africa’s manufacturing sector to reduce dependency on other nations, particularly those in the Global North. This would better equip the continent to face future challenges, including pandemics.
- Ensuring long-term Impact is essential
Sustainability was also a key theme throughout the meeting. Funders must ensure that the projects they support become sustainable in the long run, so that their investments deliver lasting impact. While there has been significant investment in drug and vaccine development in Africa, it is essential that these efforts are accompanied by strategies that ensure their long-term viability. Funders should consider sustainability plans and actively support their recipients in achieving them.
Meeting experts behind the “m-mama” emergency transport system for pregnant women and newborns in rural Tanzania.
Key Insights from the m-mama Site Visit in Tanzania
During a site visit to the m-mama project in Dar es Salaam with Karlee Silver, GCC’s Chief Executive Officer, and Adetunji Eleso, Director, Scale and Sustainability, we discovered how this technology-driven system has transformed emergency transport for pregnant women in rural areas. Developed by Touch Health and supported by a CAD 2.95M investment from GCC, m-mama enhances access to critical healthcare services by creating a kind of ride-hailing service for emergencies. Each year, m-mama transports around 50K women and newborns, contributing to a 40% reduction in newborn deaths.
The Government of Tanzania has played a crucial role in the success of this project. While the technology is provided by Touch Health, the government has assumed responsibility for the dispatch centers and other operational costs, ensuring the project’s sustainability.
Three Key Insights:
- Funders can play a key role in scaling up innovation
The m-mama emergency transport system demonstrates how solutions that empower local communities can be scaled to address health challenges in other regions. Having successfully expanded in Tanzania and Lesotho, the program is now looking to extend its reach to new countries. Funders and partners are vital in this process, as they typically have established relationships across multiple countries.
- Technology as a Health Equity Enabler
m-mama offers a toll-free hotline accessible to anyone across Tanzania. Calls are routed to a national network of government-operated dispatch centers, where they assess the caller’s condition. Based on the urgency, the nearest available driver is dispatched to swiftly transport the woman to the closest health center equipped to provide the necessary care.
- Partnerships are Essential for Long-Term Success
The success of m-mama is rooted in strong partnerships, including support from Grand Challenges Canada (GCC), USAID, Vodafone Foundation, and other partners. We also learned the importance of flexible funding that empowers innovators and focuses on impact. This highlights the importance of sustained collaborations between innovators, funders, and local stakeholders to ensure impactful health programs can thrive long-term.
GC Network & Partners Strategy Meeting
In Dar es Salaam, I attended the Grand Challenges Network of Partners Strategy and Coordination Meeting with Karlee Silver, Adetunji Eleso, and Johanna Sanchez, Senior Program Manager, Climate Change and Health. This meeting allowed us to reflect on achievements, explore scaling innovations, and discuss emerging priorities like climate and health. Adetunji led a session on “Catalyzing Scale through the Public Sector,” showcasing Dr. Data Santorino’s Augmented Infant Resuscitation (AIR) Device, which empowers health workers by providing real-time, actionable feedback to birth attendants during ventilation. Johanna presented GCC’s plan for the Climate and Health GC, which was well received, and the working group will continue meeting regularly to advance their efforts.
These insights from our meetings in Africa highlight the critical role of collaboration and innovation in addressing health challenges. By aligning strategies with local needs and fostering strong partnerships, we can enhance the impact of health programs and ensure sustainable improvements in healthcare access for underserved communities. Moving forward, it’s essential that we continue to share knowledge and experiences to drive meaningful change in global health.
The 2024 Strategy & Coordination Meeting offers GC Network partners a key opportunity to discuss challenges and explore new opportunities.
