The Afretec Healthcare Summer School
The Afretec Healthcare Summer School, hosted by The American University in Cairo AUC and sponsored by Afretec from June 9 to 12, 2024, was an electrifying four-day event that redefined African healthcare. With top-notch speakers from across the continent, the workshop dove into the latest in digital tech, AI, and telemedicine. It brought together the brightest minds in research, medicine, and industry for a series of inspiring talks and breakthrough discussions, igniting new ideas and paving the way for a transformative leap in healthcare across Africa.
Insights and Innovations
The Afretec Healthcare Summer School produced exciting outcomes that promise to shape the future of African healthcare. Participants walked away with fresh insights into digital technology, AI, and telemedicine, equipping them with practical skills to drive innovation in their fields. The event also created valuable networking opportunities, connecting researchers, medical professionals, and industry leaders, which sparked collaborations for future projects.
Inspiring talks and discussions fueled new ideas and actionable strategies to tackle pressing healthcare challenges, fostering a spirit of innovation among attendees. A key outcome was the proposal for a data warehouse for Africa, aimed at centralizing healthcare data to enhance research and decision-making across the continent. There was also a strong emphasis on the need for technology integration in healthcare, encouraging stakeholders to prioritize digital transformation.
Importantly, several partnerships emerged from these interactions, aimed at harnessing collective expertise for impactful solutions. The highlight was the agreement to host another edition of the summer school next year, ensuring that the momentum continues and that we remain committed to advancing healthcare systems and improving patient outcomes across the continent.
Testimonials
“Despite a late and uncertain start, we managed to bring together a diverse group of speakers and participants each of whom are actively involved in and passionate about healthcare in Africa. We learned a lot about the use of AI and ICT in healthcare but also saw that there is even more scope of application. One of the most memorable things for me was to hear a participant from an Afretec partner university say that her eyes had been opened to the tremendous opportunities and that her institution would begin collaborating with her new contacts from the summer school. Another highlight was to see so many students and young researchers involved. I hope that we build on the insights gained to deliver better healthcare in Africa and that the summer school becomes a recurring forum to that end. Lastly, I cannot thank the Afretec and AUC organizers enough for putting this together.”
Ahmed Biyabani
Associate Teaching Professor, Carnegie Mellon University Africa
“The Health Summer School was a tremendous success. The convergence of industry, academia, and students brought together diverse perspectives, creating a rich and engaging environment. The excellent participation of Afretec partners highlighted the network's collaborative solid focus. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Afretec Health Cluster and the organizers of the event, as well as the American University in Cairo (AUC) for graciously hosting. Our next goal is to make this an annual event, ensuring it continues to grow in content, reach, and impact.”
William Mutero
Director: Centre for Inclusive Digital Transformation of Africa (CIDTA)
Carnegie Mellon University Africa
Afretec Network Director
“Afretec brought together an invigorating collection of ideas, topics, faculty and students – definitely glad I could be a part of this year’s event. The AUC team did a really great job facilitating the overall program, daily schedules, venue and accommodation coordination and resolving issues – hats off to the faculty and especially the students who made it possible – thank you!”
Hanif Khalak
Director - AI & Data Analytics
Technology executive with 30+ years in biomedical and genomic computing, leading technology divisions and developing data infrastructure for clinical applications and pharmaceuticals.
“Participating in the Afretec Summer School 2024 was an incredibly enriching experience. The event brought together a diverse group of professionals and researchers from across the continent, creating a unique platform for interdisciplinary collaboration. One of the key takeaways for me was the depth of discussions around cutting-edge innovations in artificial intelligence and healthcare, particularly the presentations on the development of artificial organs like the human heart and lung. The interactions I had with both industry experts and academics provided invaluable insights that I have since applied to my ongoing projects. Moreover, the opportunity to meet brilliant minds working on sustainable solutions for Africa’s healthcare challenges has reinforced my commitment to driving impactful research and innovation in this space. The Afretec Summer School has not only broadened my knowledge but also expanded my professional network in meaningful ways. I am truly grateful for the experience and look forward to future collaborations with the people I met.”
Dr. Davies Rene Segera
Doctor of Philosophy, Lecturer at University of Nairobi