Reflections on an Unforgettable Journey: My Experience with the Africa Young Innovators for Health Program

By Lola Aderemi, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Pharmarun, First Prize winner of the Africa Young Innovators for Health Award (Second Edition).

Pharmarun, co-founded with Teniola Adedeji, is an on-demand platform that aggregates pharmacies, offering a vast medication inventory to increase affordability and accessibility.

My recent journey to the Geneva Digital Health Day was nothing short of an exhilarating rollercoaster ride through the future of healthcare in Africa. As I reflect on this experience, I am genuinely thrilled to share the profound impact and excitement this event brought into my life.

On May 30th, I had the immense honor of participating in a panel discussion at the Geneva Digital Health Day, where I pitched Pharmarun, our innovative platform, in a session focused on Health. Equity. The energy was electric from the very beginning. The event gathered a distinguished audience of experts, innovators, and stakeholders from various African countries, all under one roof to explore the transformative power of digital health. Sharing the stage with esteemed figures and presenting our vision for Pharmarun was both exhilarating and humbling We were able to help people see the unique challenges in Africa and how we answer to them by bringing  equal access to  all.

The discussions delved deep into advancing health equity through digital innovation, highlighting the strengthening of primary care, disease surveillance, health innovation, and data governance. The insights gained and the collective wisdom shared were illuminating, shedding light on the immense potential of digital solutions in healthcare across the continent.

Meeting the sponsors of the award and key stakeholders provided us with crucial insights into their commitment to helping African youth have a big impact on health, strengthening my belief in the power of innovationI am profoundly thankful for the recognition and support, and I look forward to continuing our work to improve healthcare access across Africa. This journey has solidified my commitment to reshaping healthcare equitably and innovatively across our continent.