The World Health Organization (WHO) in the African Region has launched the WHO Africa Innovation Challenge. This Challenge is calling innovators, researchers and community-based initiatives including, youths and women that are working on novel solutions to improve health outcomes and apply new and fresh thinking to address unmet health needs for Africa.

This Challenge will prioritise innovative and scalable healthcare solutions for selection in the categories of Product Innovation, Service Innovation and Social Innovation and will also provide continued support to healthcare innovators through a digital platform in the longer term.

The launch of this Challenge and platform serves as a precursor to the Africa Health Forum in Cape Verde in March 2019; the premier gathering of political and business leaders in the region devoted to health. Finalists will be awarded a sponsored opportunity for their innovations to be showcased at the Africa Health Forum where they will get the opportunity to profile their solutions and meet with top political, government and business leaders in the health space.

Applications must be submitted online and will close on Monday 10 December 2018 at midnight (GMT+1).

Eligibility & Selection Criteria

Broad Innovation Categories for Consideration

Solutions that will be considered should be broadly categorized as either product or technological innovations, process or service innovations or social innovations, as further defined below. WHO-AFRO recognises that a single solution may apply to more than one of the categories but applicants must choose the category that suits the best strength for their solution.

Product or Technological innovations

Activities that contribute to the research, development and design of new products or to improving existing products and that generate new technological knowledge for adoption by the marketplace e.g. medicines, products, supplies, infrastructure, mHealth, etc.

Process or service innovations

Refer to the implementation of a new or significantly improved production or delivery method e.g. innovative financing mechanism etc.

Social innovations

Are new strategies and organizations that meet social needs of all kinds, from working conditions and education to community development and health, that extend and strengthen civil society e.g. community health initiatives, health workforce etc.

Eligibility Criteria

This Challenge is open to solutions that comply with the following eligibility criteria listed below – solutions that are:

African-Relevant

Solutions that are developed in and/or relevant to Africa in addressing one or more health-related problems or applying an innovative approach for delivering solutions in Africa.

Innovative

Solutions that address one or more problems in a new and different way often through a simpler and more effective means that is novel.

Scalable

Solutions that are realistic and have the capability and potential to be enlarged and replicated.

Other eligibility criteria include that:

  • This Challenge is open to individuals, teams, for-profit, non-profit entities (including hybrid entities i.e. social enterprises), academic institutions or research institutions.
  • Entrants are not required to be formally registered in order to qualify for the Challenge
  • Applicants must be:
    1. Africa nationals residing in Africa or outside of Africa; or
    2. Foreign nationals either based in Africa or, if not based in Africa, then working with an African-based entity.

Selection Criteria

Preference will be given to:

Solutions that have already either

  1. Gone beyond the “proof of concept” and are at the pilot stage of development or in the process of being scaled up; or
  2. Solutions that are in the early stage of commercialization after all the regulatory procedures have been completed and only require scaling up; as well as
  • Solutions that demonstrate the ability or potential to address key health concerns in an accessible, affordable and sustainable way; and
  • Solutions that demonstrate evidence of ease of use, replicability, durability, and other relevant factors to justify appropriateness for low resource settings.

The specific criteria for classifying innovations as either product/technology or process/service or social innovations are as follows:

1. Product or Technological Innovations

  1. The solution must clearly show innovation (i.e. novelty or invention)
  2. The solution must address existing health problem/s
  3. The solution must be ready to go to market
  4. The solution must be completely developed or be at prototype stage

2. Process or Service Innovations

  1. The solution must clearly show innovation (i.e. novelty or invention)
  2. The solution must address the existing health service delivery problem (i.e. demonstrate efficiency, effectiveness or cost-effectiveness)

3. Social Innovations

  1. The solution must clearly show innovation (i.e. novelty or invention)
  2. The solution must be addressing existing social challenge affecting health service delivery such as accessibility, affordability or awareness
  3. The solution must support and empower people to change their lives/to get motivated/encourage behavioural change (i.e. clear societal value add)

Click here to apply.

Musa Suleiman
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