The second edition of our Healthcare Leadership and Innovation webinar explored the critical role of education, research, and innovation in advancing healthcare delivery and practice in Africa. Our maiden webinar in January explored how Artificial Intelligence can help improve healthcare delivery in Africa.
For slightly over an hour, our guest, Dr Oluwadamilare Akingbade, a nurse researcher, certified global nurse consultant, and founder of Nursiscope Inc., shared insights into how education, research, and innovation can help advance healthcare delivery in Africa.
Throughout the webinar, he highlighted several key themes, including the strengthening of the healthcare workforce through education, the innovative approaches needed to bridge service delivery gaps, and the importance of research in informing evidence-based policies and interventions.
One of the primary points of discussion was the need for continuous learning opportunities for healthcare professionals to ensure they remain relevant in the rapidly evolving global healthcare ecosystem.
The integration of research into healthcare education was emphasised, with a call for mentorship programs that connect students with experienced researchers to foster early adoption of research skills.
Innovation emerged as another critical focus area. Dr Akingbade discussed the significant impact of technology on African healthcare, pointing to advancements such as telemedicine and AI-driven diagnostics.
He urged collaboration between healthcare professionals and tech startups to devise practical solutions tailored to the unique challenges of the African healthcare landscape, stressing that innovation should be context-driven.
Research was highlighted as essential for policy development, with Dr Akingbade advocating for data-driven decision-making in healthcare policies.
He pointed out the need for more local research initiatives to contribute to the growing healthcare research ecosystem in Africa and acknowledged the funding challenges research professionals face in Africa.
However, he encouraged researchers to seek alternative financing through NGOs and international grants rather than waiting for governmental support.
Reflecting on his own career, Dr Akingbade shared insights about his education journey, which includes a Bachelor’s in Nursing from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, a Master’s from the University of Ibadan, and a PhD from the University of Hong Kong and
In 2016, with a group of nurses, he founded the Institute of Nursing Research, Nigeria, one of Nigeria’s and Africa’s foremost nursing research communities that has impacted communities with its innovative community outreach programmes and initiatives and mentored nurses in research and academic pursuits.
Participants asked stimulating questions that revealed the level of curiosity among healthcare professionals wanting to understand how education, research, and innovation can help improve healthcare practice in Africa.
One participant inquired about fostering interest in research among healthcare professionals, to which Dr. Akingbade responded that integrating research into early education and incorporating research skills into medical and nursing training is crucial.
Another participant asked about encouraging research in Africa in light of funding limitations, and he reiterated the importance of leveraging NGOs and international funding rather than relying solely on government support.
Many participants found the discussion informative and expressed a desire for more practical, hands-on discussions about healthcare research, innovation and leadership in future webinars.
Overall, the event underscored the vital interplay between education, research, and innovation in advancing healthcare delivery and practice in Africa.
The recording is now available on our YouTube channel.
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You can also watch the recording below.
