Information Communication Technology (ICT), Postal and Courier Services minister Tatenda Mavetera says technology can be a very powerful tool for solving problems, hence the need to embrace it in order to bring innovation in the healthcare sector.
Mavetera said this in a speech read on her behalf by permanent secretary in the ICT ministry Beaulah Chirume at the Healthathon 2.0 grand finale hosted by Cimas in partnership with the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) last Friday.
The healthathon was running under the theme Transforming Healthcare: Pioneering Tomorrow’s Health Solutions.
“Today, healthcare systems around the world face rising costs, growing demands and complex challenges,” Mavetera said.
“To meet these challenges, we need home-grown solutions that are efficient, accessible, and sustainable, which some of you here today may have prototyped for the first time.
“This is indeed the promise of innovation and digital transformation which is no longer a luxury, but essential.”
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“Technology is not just a tool; it is the lifeblood of our development strategies, especially in sectors like healthcare.”
She said her ministry’s mission aligns closely with the core objectives of his healthathon competition.
The healthathon showcased the creativity and resourcefulness of young innovators who brought their ideas to address pressing healthcare challenges in the country.
Cimas group operations officer Thando Kembo expressed gratitude to all the participants as they contribute to the ongoing investment in technologies that bring health solutions to the country.
“We are going to pursue all the ideas that were presented here today, even those that did not win,” Kembo said.
The standout project was a digital application called Epi which belonged to three young innovators Munashe Dube from the University of Zimbabwe, Rutendo Gatsi from Trust College and Lincoln Casette, an Electronics Engineering graduate from HIT. They walked home with US$$1 500.
The Epi application provides real-time monitoring for epilepsy patients.
“Our aim is to enable a more effective and responsive treatment through real time monitoring and communication,” Dube said.
“We want to protect the patient hence the device will warn them before they have an attack so that they can move to a safer place.
Ten participants competed in this year’s edition of the healthathon.
Astro, a group of three HIT students were the first runners up while Hypernova were the second runners up.
Eksani Systems and Dev Bytes came fourth and fifth respectively and received cash while other groups namely Code Collective, Technocrats, Silicon Tech, Artificial Intelligence Squad and Canceron received certificates.