NAIROBI, Kenya, April 16 – The RHIPFactory Venture Studio, in collaboration with Qhala Kenya and Africa CDC, is organizing the BuildHealth4Africa Hackathon, scheduled to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, from April 19th to 21st, 2024.
The two-day event aims to develop digital healthcare solutions to enhance access, affordability, quality, and efficiency of healthcare services across East Africa.
Henri Onyemachi, Founder & CEO of RHIPFactory Inc USA, emphasized the urgent need for innovative solutions to address healthcare challenges in East Africa.
“The East African region much like the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa faces a critical need for innovative solutions that bridge healthcare infrastructure and capacity gaps,” he noted.
Participants will utilize technologies like mobile and cloud computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, extended reality, and blockchain to create prototypes focusing on expanding access, reducing costs, improving quality, and boosting efficiency in healthcare.
“BuildHealth4Africa Hackathon isn’t just a competition. It’s a catalyst for change. We are building a pipeline of investable solutions with the potential to make a real difference in people’s lives,” said Shikoh Gitau, founder of Qhala Kenya (co-organizer of BuildHealth 4 Africa 2024).
Participants can benefit from mentorship, networking opportunities, and skill development and compete for prizes totaling up to Sh500,000.
Others include the chance to be part of impactful solutions, gain mentorship from experienced professionals, network with peers in the healthcare innovation space, sharpen skills in rapid prototyping and design thinking, and compete for prizes.
The hackathon serves as a pre-conference event for the Connected Africa Summit 2024 and is supported by various organizations, including the Africa CDC, the Kenya Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, the Kenya Ministry of Health, Safaricom, Britam Insurance, and Amazon Web Services (AWS), among others.
