Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Awards Top 15 Youth-Led Health Innovations Under Bingwa PLUS Programme
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has announced 15 youth-led innovations as winners of the Bingwa PLUS Y-Health Incubator Pitch Competition, marking a significant milestone in empowering Africa's next generation of public health leaders.
The competition, held in Abuja, Nigeria, from May 27 -30, 2025 showcased innovative health solutions developed by young African changemakers aged 18–35.
The 15 winning projects were selected from 30 finalists, who emerged from an initial pool of 50 pre-screened candidates. The finalists underwent a rigorous six-week self-paced training programme focused on health leadership, project design, communication, resource mobilisation, and monitoring and evaluation.
The Bingwa PLUS programme is an extension of the African Union Bingwa Initiative launched in 2022, designed to equip youth with the tools and resources to co-create scalable and sustainable health interventions. Supported by GIZAfrican Union and YouthHub Africa, the initiative reflects Africa CDC's strategic focus on youth empowerment and innovation in public health.
During the two-day pitching event, the 30 finalists presented their solutions before a distinguished panel of judges comprising health experts, development partners, and industry leaders. The selected winners will each receive grants ranging from EUR 1,500 to EUR 3,000, alongside tailored mentorship from leading public health and innovation professionals to support implementation over the coming months.
'This event exemplifies the power of youth-led innovation in transforming health landscapes across Africa,' said Dr. Chrys Promesse Kaniki, Africa CDC Senior Technical Officer for Strategic Programmes and Youth Programmes Lead. 'By investing in young leaders and their ideas, we are fostering a new generation of health innovators equipped to tackle Africa's most urgent health challenges.'
The winning projects will now enter an intensive implementation phase, with ongoing mentorship and support to scale their impact across communities. Africa CDC and its partners will continue to track progress, document success stories, and promote these solutions through advocacy and technical collaboration.
To view the full list of winners, click here: Africa CDC Awards Top 15 Youth-Led Health Innovations Under Bingwa PLUS Programme
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
a day ago
- Zawya
Eritrea: Voluntary blood donation in Central Region
Government workers from various institutions in the Central Region voluntarily donated 70 units of blood on 25 and 26 June in support of the National Blood Transfusion Service. The program was carried out with the participation of members from the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare Central Office, Hidri Distribution Company, and the Electricity Corporation of Eritrea. The participants expressed satisfaction in contributing to the life-saving cause, noting the importance of donating renewable blood. Nurse Sara Michael, a member of the center, emphasized that voluntary blood donation is a key factor in enriching the blood supply of the National Blood Transfusion Service. She urged the public to raise awareness about the importance of voluntary blood donation in saving lives. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
Zawya
a day ago
- Zawya
South Africa's Biovac to make, distribute pneumonia vaccine across Africa
Cape Town-based biopharmaceutical company Biovac has signed a transfer agreement with Biological E in India to manufacture and distribute a pneumonia vaccine across Africa. Biological E's PCV14 – a 14-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, having broad serotype coverage – was found to be non-inferior to Prevenar 13 for all shared serotypes in the pivotal phase-three randomised, active control trial. Biological E's PCV14 vaccine is already licensed in India and is currently undergoing World Health Organisation (WHO) prequalification with the aim being to make the vaccine available to Unicef and Gavi markets soon thereafter. In parallel, a technology transfer is being initiated with Biovac that is anticipated to take three years including regulatory approval. Pneumococcal infection, which the vaccine protects against, is a cause of significant disease, being a leading cause of pneumonia, bacterial meningitis, and sepsis. WHO estimated that in 2005, pneumococcal infections were responsible for the death of 1.6 million children worldwide and while this has reduced significantly over time, newer and better vaccines are still needed. Dr Morena Makhoana, Biovac CEO, states: 'Biovac is on a steady journey of ensuring that it expands its footprint beyond South Africa. We do so by carefully selecting our partners and the type of products that meet our customers' needs.
Zawya
a day ago
- Zawya
Stronger Health Through Smarter Taxes in Mauritius
WHO has joined forces with VISA NGO and the University of Cape Town to assess the impact of increasing health taxes in Mauritius. Using a simulation tool, the study examined how tax hikes affect tobacco use, government revenues, and premature deaths. A 15% annual cigarette tax increase could: Boost excise revenue by 55% Reduce smoking prevalence from 18.1% to 17.4% Prevent 11,600 premature deaths by 2029 Even more ambitious action—a 25% annual increase—could: Double excise revenues Lower smoking prevalence to 16.3% Save 19,300 lives by 2029 On 20 June 2025, WHO convened high-level officials from the Ministries of Health and Finance to discuss the findings, presented by the University of Cape Town's Research Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products and a WHO taxation expert. WHO and VISA echoed the study's call for regular, significant tax increases—one of the most effective ways to curb noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) Earlier, on 26 May, VISA and WHO presented the findings to key stakeholders including the Mauritius Revenue Authority, Ministries of Education and Youth, the University of Mauritius, NGOs, and consumer groups. WHO also applauded the Government's recent decision to raise taxes by 10% on tobacco and alcohol, and 100% on sugary drinks, extending it to products like chocolate and ice cream. 'This is a gift to public health,' said Dr. Anne Ancia, WHO Representative. 'Higher prices on unhealthy products help reduce consumption—especially in a country where obesity, diabetes and cardio-vascular diseases are leading causes of death and disability.' Dr. Ancia also stressed the urgent need to enforce the Tobacco Law 2022, particularly the ban on single-stick sales, which undermines progress in reducing tobacco use through higher prices. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) - Mauritius.
