Moi University Showcases Student Health Innovations at Africa Health Collaborative Convening

The week-long gathering, held from October 18 to 23 under the theme “Unlocking Africa: Co-creating Impactful and Sustainable Youth-led Health Innovations,” brought together universities, health professionals, researchers, policymakers, innovators and development partners from across the continent.

The university used the forum to highlight progress made through the Africa Health Collaborative initiative, which is supported by the Mastercard Foundation and seeks to promote youth-driven solutions in healthcare.

Moi University student-led health innovations

Among the innovations showcased were CONTRA-AID and DawaPoint, ventures presented by student representatives Bonaventure Machuka and Alvin Kiprop, respectively. Yvonne Ndanu, an AHC Scholar, also participated in highlighting the role of young innovators in addressing emerging health challenges.

A delegation from Moi University was led by Dr Faith Yego, alongside ecosystem partners from the Uasin Gishu County Department of Health and AMPATH.

The university said its participation underscored ongoing efforts to link education with employment, entrepreneurship and community health needs through its Health Employment, Health Entrepreneurship and Health Ecosystem pillars.

Through initiatives such as the Moi University Health Summit, student innovation showcases, mentorship programs and industry collaborations, the institution has been creating opportunities for students to develop solutions in areas including digital health, maternal health, nutrition, access to medicines and clinical training.

University officials noted that the initiatives have helped nurture creativity, leadership and entrepreneurship among students while equipping them with practical skills needed to address real-world health challenges.

The convening also provided an opportunity for participating institutions to share lessons learned, document emerging evidence and explore ways of scaling successful health interventions across Africa.

Importance of international partnerships for Moi University

Moi University further highlighted the importance of international partnerships in advancing innovation and research. The institution has collaborated with the University of Toronto, the University of Cape Town, the African Leadership University and Addis Ababa University in areas such as research, mentorship, curriculum development and knowledge exchange.

In addition, researchers under an AHC-supported sub-award presented findings from a collaborative project involving Moi University, the African Leadership University and the University of Toronto. The project focused on advancing Planetary Health and One Health approaches among community health workers and was presented by Dr Caroline Sawe of Moi University and Dr Joy Chioma of the African Leadership University.

The university said the convening reaffirmed its commitment to empowering young people as innovators and leaders capable of shaping more resilient and responsive health systems across Africa.