UK-Kenya Health Global Innovation Network launches to address cancer challenges
In a groundbreaking convergence of minds, the UK-Kenya Health Global Innovation Network was officially launched on 13 March 2024 in Nairobi.
This community provides a platform that is dedicated to nurturing collaboration, sharing knowledge, and co-creating accessible, cost-effective solutions to enhance cancer care quality and drive tangible social change. With over 50 participants from the UK, Kenya and beyond joining virtually and in-person, the launch marked a pivotal moment in the quest for affordable and accessible cancer screening, detection and diagnosis innovations ushering in an era of collaborative action and knowledge sharing between the UK and Kenya.
The genesis of this initiative lies in the Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa project to build new and stronger UK-African partnerships to maximise the creation of inclusive market access, innovation capacity, funding and investment opportunities through equitable collaboration.
At the heart of this endeavour lies the UK-Kenya Health Global Innovation Network, a platform dedicated to nurturing collaboration, sharing knowledge, and co-creating accessible, cost-effective solutions to address Kenya’s pressing cancer challenges. With a focus on improving early and accessible screening, detection and diagnosis of cancer, the Network aims to drive tangible social outcome. Click here to watch the UK-Kenya Health Global Innovation Network Launch event.
Keynote speakers
Speakers at the launch event articulated the significance of this endeavour:
- Dr. Nee-Joo Teh, Head of Global Alliance at Innovate UK, underscored the shared objectives of Innovate UK activities, emphasising the mobilisation of UK research and innovation to address global challenges.
- Akaco Ekirapa, Health Adviser at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Kenya, highlighted the potential of innovation, particularly emerging technologies like artificial intellegence in revolutionising cancer screening, detection, and diagnosis, aligning with the UK Government’s priority to enhance access, quality, and equity in healthcare.
- Dr. Francis W. Makokha, Head of Human Health Research Program at Mount Kenya University representing Kenyan stakeholders, stressed the need for understanding the African genome and the importance of collaboration in addressing health challenges, advocating for a holistic approach to innovation.
- Helen Oliver, Deputy CEO at Health Innovation East (HIE), emphasised the pivotal role of collaboration in connecting key stakeholders from academia, healthcare, local authorities, charities, and industries, expressing a commitment to extending this partnership to benefit Kenya.
- Basil Malaki, Global Alliance Africa Knowledge Transfer Manager at Innovate UK, outlined the network’s pillars focusing on affordability and accessibility of cancer screening, detection, and diagnosis innovations, with a core objective of enhancing UK-Kenya collaborations and increasing accessibility to affordable cancer care.
With over 40 stakeholders already signed up and a continuous drive for more, the Network envisions a dynamic landscape where collaborative efforts yield transformative breakthroughs in cancer detection and diagnosis. Through strategic initiatives, forging new partnerships, and amplifying collective voices, the UK-Kenya Health Global Innovation Network remains steadfast in its commitment to combatting cancer on a global scale.
In the journey ahead, the convergence of UK expertise and Kenyan ingenuity promises to unlock innovative solutions, transcending borders and shattering knowledge silos to address cancer screening, detection and diagnosis challenges for the benefit of making it accessible and affordable for all.
Join our network
To join the Network and contribute to this impactful initiative, interested stakeholders are encouraged to join the UK-Kenya Health Global Innovation Network LinkedIn Group as well as subscribe to our newsletter.
About Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa
Global Alliance Africa is a six-year project funded by UK International Development through Innovate UK (GCRF) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
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Related Events and Recordings
Related programmes
UK-Kenya Health Global Innovation Network
This Global Innovation Network shatters knowledge silos and ignites collaborative action. We bridge the gap between cutting-edge UK expertise and Kenyan ingenuity, co-creating accessible, affordable solutions to conquer Kenya’s cancer challenges.
Global Innovation Networks
Global Innovation Networks unite some of the best minds and greatest thinkers from across the UK and globally to find answers to some of the world’s most significant challenges. The Networks will facilitate UK, African and EU networks to deliver collaborative research, innovation and funding solutions that address key global innovation challenges.
Global Alliance Africa
This Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa 6-year (2019-2025) project funded by UK International Development aims to build new and stronger UK-African partnerships to maximise the creation of inclusive market access, funding and investment opportunities through innovation knowledge transfer between the UK, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.