
The future of healthcare in Africa doesn’t look like what we see today.
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on the global shortage of healthcare workers at all levels. Across Africa, overburdened healthcare systems are drowning with the demands of the pandemic while attempting to address non-pandemic patient needs with limited budgets and inefficient systems.
Previous to the pandemic, a person aged between 30 and 70 years living in Africa had a 1 in 5 chance of dying from one of the major chronic illnesses like cancer, diabetes or cardiovascular disease. We expect that number to rapidly increase this year.
At the same time, telehealth technologies developed by Africans to diagnose, treat and monitor health conditions remotely are leapfrogging traditional systems of healthcare and enabling new, exciting collaborations to deliver quality digitized healthcare services to whomever has a cell phone connection and wherever they may be.
Medical professionals no longer need to be in Africa to provide quality health care and diagnostics in the context of where people live and work on the Continent. Technology innovations like secure data analytics are also enabling faster response times, especially those in crisis.
The key to building this future is African-led collaboration, for which ADN is known. That’s why ADN is developing a project with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to leverage technology that expands digital health access, at home or point of care diagnostics, wellness and prevention opportunities, and medicine delivery directly to consumers and patients when needed.
The future of healthcare in Africa looks like us. Our program stands out from the others because we will mobilize African medical professionals from the Diaspora — highly trained doctors and nurses who know what the challenges & opportunities are, who may speak the same languages, and who can connect and build trust with clients, and work together with peer African doctors and nurses on the ground to deliver exceptional care. Together, with an African-led telehealth platform provider, we will also bring the latest technological and data analytics advances to simplify and make healthcare efficient — including emergent technologies like home diagnostics and AI-based systems.
Principal Science Leader, Global Health Equity and Population Sciences; Genentech, Inc.
Founder, Partnering for Cancer Innovation
Senior Clinical Operations & RWD Lead Sub Saharan Africa | Project Lead, Global Health Equity & Population Science (HEPS), Roche-Genentech Inc.
Chief Science Officer, Sanofi Consumer Healthcare
Founder and Managing Partner, Ignite Venture Studio
Co-Founder and CEO - Small World Brands Inc
Certified Surgical Physician Assistant & Clinical Design Engineer;
CEO, Gideon MedTech
Dr. Christophe Jackson, PhD, DMA, PA-C, is a New Orleans native having received his doctorates in Biology, Mechanical Engineering and Piano Performance in 2012 and a master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies in 2018 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Jackson went on to receive postdoctoral training in Neuroscience and Music at Tulane University. Dr. Jackson works as a neurosurgical physician associate at a busy Level 1 trauma center in brain and spine at Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center. Dr. Jackson utilizes his extensive expertise to bridge the gaps between access to healthcare, development of new technologies, and advancing research. He is the CEO of GideonMedTech, a Medical Technology, Design, Engineering & Innovation company based out of New Orleans.
Africa Science Affairs Head, Sanofi Consumer Healthcare
Senior Director - Product Strategy Leader, Global Supply Chain,
Roche-Genentech
Executive-in-Residence, African Diaspora Network