Training digital healthcare professionals in Africa: 6th class of graduates for the eHealth inter-university diploma

Created in 2019, this training program, the first of its kind in French-speaking Africa, aims to develop know-how, to grow the digital health sector in a coherent, harmonious and sustainable way, for the benefit of local communities. 

Delivered by the universities of Bamako, Abidjan, Dakar and Lomé, and backed by the Fondation Pierre Fabre, the training program is aimed at anyone working the eHealth sector, to foster innovations in line with countries’ digital health strategies. The training program is a hybrid course (60% remote, 40% in-person participation), and ends every year with a week-long “Hackathon” bringing together the entire year group. The goal for all participants is to work together, innovate and build concrete digital health projects that boost their ability to use ICT to tackle the challenges facing health systems in the Global South.

Since the diploma was created, over 160 graduates have received academic scholarships from the Fondation Pierre Fabre.  In 2024, the year group was made up of 48 students from 14 African countries. Just short of 400 applications were received, proof of the growing demand for professional training courses in the digital health sector.

The Lomé Faculty, which joined the other partner institutions in 2024, hosted the hackathon from June 10 to 13. It ended with the graduation ceremony.

Winning project of the 2024 hackathon:

e-Djigui: A platform providing assistance and teleconsultation services for victims of gender-based violence

The winning project, “e-Djigui”, was designed for awareness-raising and reporting, and to provide information as well as teleconsultation and remote monitoring services for victims of gender-based violence in Togo and Benin.