Eighty percent of Uganda’s population is under the age of 30.
The generation that will benefit most from eliminating malaria is actively engaged in ending it.
“With nearly 60% of Africa’s population under 25, young people are not just the future; they are the present in driving action for change, brimming with innovative ideas and solutions.“
- Joy Phumaphi, Executive Secretary African Leader’s Malaria Alliance
Malaria Youth Champions Uganda brings together highly motivated youth and young professionals determined to contribute their talent, time and energies to the fight against malaria and NTDs -- and the fight for universal health coverage. In alliance with a surging youth malaria movement across Africa, and inspired by the Youth Strategy of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance, Uganda’s Youth Champions are innovative, social media savvy, and determined to succeed.
“Today, we’re calling on our young people to step up and join this movement to fight malaria...”
- Dr. Daniel Kyabayinze, Director of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Uganda
Speaking to New Vision after receiving his cheque, Ariho said his innovation targets quick diagnosis of malaria at the grassroots by village health teams.
“My innovation consists of a tablet and a temperature gun that nurses and village health team members can use to establish if a person has malaria or not. The tablet has a set of questions whose answers a member of a village health team can base on to refer a malaria case to a bigger health facility,” Ariho said after being announced winner.
Chemutai’s innovation which won her $300 (sh1.1m), ensures real-time collection of malaria data.
“My idea involves enhancing the rapid malaria tests with a micro-chip or software that is able to locate each malaria test carried out in the country. The innovation ensures the reporting of each positive result to a central system which can be a referral hospital or ministry of health,” Chemutai said after being announced.
Kyabayinze hailed the winners for their innovative ideas and encouraged them to ensure that they are integrated into the health system in future.
The promise of youth engagement was on full display at the Malaria Youth Champions launch, where a number of young people received awards for technical innovations to support more efficient and effective malaria diagnosis, treatment, and tracking.