Epi App team members being congratulated for winning Healthathon24
BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Dr. Tatenda Mavetera, has called on local innovators to come up with homegrown solutions that address the needs of the Zimbabwean people.
Minister Mavetera said this in a speech made on her behalf through the Permanent Secretary in her ministry, Dr. Beaullah Chirume, at the Cimas Health Group and Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) Healthathon.
The second edition of the Healthathon was held under the theme, “Transforming Healthcare: Pioneering Tomorrow’s Health Solutions.”
The event featured university students organized into nine teams, competing to provide the best health innovations.
“We do have innovators that will lead Zimbabwe to produce the digital economy that we endeavor to have. The presentations here—what I like about them—is that while some are foreign, I saw somebody making a deliberate effort to say this solution speaks to the Zimbabwean situation.
“Yes, we know we can cascade solutions to other areas, but the conditions affecting us in our own locality are different from elsewhere. “Hence, we have to develop solutions that meet our own requirements.
“Solutions that speak to the way we have deployed ICT infrastructure within our context, so I’m very excited,” said Minister Mavetera.
It was noted that a lot could be learned from the presentations made, as these solutions could improve people’s lives.
Foster Akaketwa, Cimas Health Group’s Chief Information Officer, echoed similar sentiments, stating that as a nation, we must develop our own solutions.
“We are saying as a nation, we are never going to leave it to those coming from outside our borders to bring solutions. It is up to us all here to innovate and create solutions that reflect the fingerprints of the Zimbabwean population.
“It is my sincere belief that together we can generate excitement around innovations for healthcare now and beyond, igniting the spirit of cross-collaboration between the private and public sectors,” said Akaketwa.
He added that partnerships with institutions like HIT would be instrumental in creating homegrown solutions.
“We want to see quality ideas and give them life so that our tomorrow is brighter.”
Akaketwa also revealed that the innovations being presented would not only propel Cimas but benefit the entire healthcare fraternity for all Zimbabweans.
“At the end of the day, we are not just looking at the technology that participants are discussing; we are asking if this solution will tackle the problems we have.
“The business problem comes first, then the technology comes later, and so far, what we have been seeing is quite exciting,” he added.
One of the judges at the Healthathon, Monica Gondo, emphasized the need for homegrown solutions that address local problems.
“We need to have our own solutions because other solutions were made for their own problems; they do not understand what we go through and the issues we face on a daily basis.
“So it’s always good for a nation to grow and progress, and it is very important for the youth to come together and envision the future of the nation. I’m happy it’s happening here,” said Gondo.
