Bio-pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has launched the Africa Health Innovation Hub, which will use the latest science and technology, including artificial intelligence, to improve access to healthcare on the continent.
The official launch event took place last week at the Daspoort Poli Clinic in Pretoria, South Africa, where healthcare practitioners were able to demonstrate the use of the Melusi Breast AI device in a community clinic setting.
In a statement, AstraZeneca said the Africa Health Innovation Hub will also invest in building local talent, ‘promote policy change for cancer screening’, ‘close the gaps in healthcare access’ and improve the quality of life for patients in the African region, ‘particularly in rural and underserved communities’.
It said the objectives of the hub are aligned with the four pillars of AstraZeneca’s A. Catalyst Network: education and awareness; early diagnosis and referral; connectivity and technology; and data generation.
A.Catalyst Network is an interconnected global network of more than 20 AstraZeneca health innovation hubs, made up of physical locations and virtual partnerships.
The collective ambition of the network is to address current healthcare challenges, increase affordable and equitable access to healthcare and scale and showcase patient‑enabled innovation through partnerships.
Commenting on the Africa Health Innovation Hub, Gagan Singh, country president, African Cluster, AstraZeneca, said: “The launch of the Africa Health Innovation Hub is a significant step in our goal to unlock digital transformation and innovation in health across the continent, paving the way for patient-centric digital health solutions that leave no one behind. By working with partners across the continent, we are nurturing local talent and making quality healthcare more accessible for all.”
The company said two major new partnerships will form the backbone of the Hub in its initial phases.
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