Casablanca: The inaugural GITEX Future Health Africa conference held in Casablanca has concluded with a call for Africa to transition from being a technology consumer to becoming a creator and owner of technology.
According to Ghana News Agency, the transformative three-day event brought together hundreds of global leaders and professionals in healthcare, scientists, innovators, startups, investors, policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders. The focus was on transforming Africa's healthcare system by leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging digital technologies.
The conference was organized by the Mohammed VI Foundation for Sciences and Health (FM6SS), the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Morocco, and KOAUN International, under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the King of Morocco. The event featured conferences, workshops, and exhibitions, and saw the signing of several agreements aimed at creating a digital, futuristic, and human-centered health system for Morocco and Africa.
In her closing remarks, Madam Trixie LohMirmand, the Executive Vice President and CEO of KAOU International, urged Africa to take a leading role in digital transformation, emphasizing the region's potential to innovate and become a global power. She highlighted the importance of moving from technology consumption to creation, asserting that Morocco and the region have the capability to become a new power in technology creation.
Madam LohMirmand expressed satisfaction with the conference's success, commending all participants and encouraging continued momentum to build on the foundation established by the event. She announced that the next edition is scheduled for September next year, with a focus on manufacturing, logistics, bioscience, longevity, orthodontics, implantology, ophthalmology, and diagnostics.
Prof Bassma Jioudi, Vice-President of Engineering at Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health (UM6SS), echoed the call for health sovereignty, stressing the need for Africa to develop home-grown technologies tailored to its specific needs. She noted that 180 scientific papers were presented, with a 33 percent acceptance rate, and expressed optimism about positive transformation across the continent, driven by participants' demonstrated interest and success.
The closing ceremony included the signing of two agreements to strengthen research cooperation, facilitate capacity building for health professionals, and enhance access to screening services. Special awards were presented for the best scientific articles, with Manal Chakour of Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health winning the overall award. Christian Brosseau of the University of Brest and Abderrahim Ait Wakrime of Mohammed V University received the second and third awards, respectively.
Blink Pharma, a Moroccan startup, was recognized as the best startup for transformation in healthcare in the Supernova Challenge, receiving a $10,000 prize. Participants expressed enthusiasm about the program and praised the organizers for their vision of leading digital transformation in African healthcare.
Mr. Ali Aldoori, a biomedical sales engineer with Ing Sumetzberger GMBH, a technology company, noted that the conference provided a valuable platform to market their pneumatic tube systems developed for the healthcare sector. The next edition is set to take place from Tuesday, September 28 to Wednesday, September 29, 2027, as announced by the organizers.