Hackathon: Accelerating Access to Health through Digital Innovations

Chevening Alumni Alliance is hosting a one-day Hackathon about 'Accelerating Access to Health through Digital Innovations' on 26 November 2022. The event aims to bring together ideas that have the potential to reduce the accessibility gap in healthcare in low-resource settings and for vulnerable populations. 

Rationale: 

COVID-19 Pandemic has opened our minds to the deficiencies in healthcare systems that unfairly affect the communities that are the most deprived. Healthcare inequities and lack of access to a safe and dependable healthcare system is the need of the day. Digital innovations and emerging technologies hold a promise to bridge this gap but the solutions need to be well-designed for sustainability, scalability, and sensitivity to local needs and contexts. To facilitate this process, Chevening Alumni Alliance is bringing together ideas, experiences, and support systems in the form of a Hackathon. The shortlisted teams will work together with mentors from industry, academia, and think tanks to work on their potential ideas over the next three months and present their final presentation during the mega-conference to be held on 25 February 2023 (tentative), where the winners of this Hackathon will be announced.

This event is open for:

• Hackathon Participants: Students, professionals, or teams who have an idea that they want to build into a product or service
• Mentors: Experienced professionals from business, technology, government, or investor groups who wish to mentor the teams
• Technical Presenters: Representatives of Organizations who have successfully developed and scaled impactful technology-based solutions to solve public health challenges
• Partners: Representatives from Academia, Think-tanks, Government and Non-government Organizations who are most likely to partner with tech-based solutions for improving healthcare access
• Supporters: Representatives from Media, Multilateral organizations, Corporates, Associations, and Venture Capital who wish to extend their support to the project  

Chevening Alumni, Scholars, and Fellows from all countries are highly encouraged to apply as Participants, Mentors, and Speakers.

 

Agenda:

• Part 1; Keynote Presentations from invited Guest Speakers
• Part 2: Technical Presentations from some of the most impactful projects
• Part 3: Teaming of Participants in Groups with their Mentors
• Part 4: Setting the Process for Building the Ideas

Sponsors and Partners:

If you or your organization would like to sponsor the event or partner up in helping us co-organize this event, kindly drop a line at cheveningalumnialliance@gmail.com and our team will get in touch with you. 

Event Details

Date: Saturday, 26 November 2022

Time: 10 am to 5 pm UK Time, followed by Reception

Venue:

LSE, Centre Building,

Main Reception,

London School of Economics and Political Science,

Houghton Street,

London WC2A 2AE.

Google Maps:

https://goo.gl/maps/WQmwao82ZGPj6NFs7

Agenda:

10:00-10:25: Access to event opens – Registration

10:00-10:25: Tea/Coffee

10.30–12.00: Welcome Remarks and Key Note Addresses:

• Emmanuel Barrell-Artusa – Chair, Chevening Alumni Alliance (CAA) -Introduction to Chevening Alumni Alliance
• Keynote speech by Lucia Wilde, UK Ambassador to Turkmenistan
• Keynote speech by Miranda (Harris)Thomas, Director, Scholarships & International Mobility at The Association of Commonwealth Universities (TBC)
• Gulshat Kochak- Board Director, Chevening Alumni Alliance; CAPF Project Manager- Introduction to CAPF project and its objectives
• Chris Born - Senior Healthcare Specialist, NHS Innovation & Clinical Services, Healthcare UK, Science & Technology Directorate, UK Department for International Trade; Presentation title: " UK’s digital health environment- How Digital Health is Helping the NHS Meet Global Health Challenges"
• Bayramgul Garabayeva, UNFPA Head of Office, Karachi/Pakistan –“SDGs Implementation: The Role of digital innovations in accelerating access to Health”

12.00 – 13.00 Session One: Guest Presentations:

• Sopra Steria/ NHS partnership (TBC)
• Julia Booth – Unit Coordinator, Research Practices, University of Sydney; “Importance of digital technology and diagnostics in remote areas”

13.00-14:00 Lunch

14.00 – 15:00 Session Two – Technical Presentations

• Shuchin Bajaj, Founder Director Ujala Cygnus Hospitals / Medpho/Fighting Covid at Project StepOne/Aspen NewVoices/Stanford Seed/Aspire; Presentation: “Private Healthcare in Resource constrained settings: Need and implementation of technoogy”.
• Dr Arinze Ekwem, Coventry University, “Performance dimensions for Health Innovation; A Global Value Chain Approach”.
• Dr.Ruchi Saxena, Founder-Director, Caerobotics, Presentation title: “Drones in Health system”.
• Mr. Mohammad Haqmal, Researcher, University of Cambridge, Presentation title: Make an Impact: Health system Innovation

Question & Answer session

15.00– 15:40: Session Three – Grouping participants by interests in breakout rooms

Ben Ovio – Board Director, Chevening Alumni Alliance; Instructions on Group work/expectations

• Participants will have the option of joining one of five groups  to discuss the following 5 key questions with focus on:
• Best practices and lessons learned?
• How can technology play a role in accelerating access to healthcare?
• Brainstorming/Identifying title of the project
• Composition of the group (areas of expertise)
• How can we make an impact in our home countries

Activity - Alumni to develop plan of their project

15.40 – 16.20: Plenary Presentation by Nominated Representatives about the results of their group discussions

Present project title, objectives, outcome and group composition

16.20 -16.25: Concluding Remarks

Kirsty Scott, Alumni Relations Manager, Chevening Secretariat.

16.25- 16.30: Chevening Alumni Alliance Thanks – Emmanuel Barrell-Artusa

17:30-21:00: Reception - Drinks (CITIZEN M Hotel)

Key Points:

-          All ‘Hackathon Participants’ are advised to carry their laptops.

-          Guests can use the internet on campus.

-          Lunch and Dinner will have vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Please indicate in advance if you have any specific food allergies or requirements.

-          We will be taking pictures and videos during the sessions, recording the online session, and sharing it on social media for future learning. If you have concerns about not being photographed, please indicate them to us.

-          Please also tell us if you need any assistance with mobility or accessibility.

-          Please feel free to write to us in case of any other issues. Our volunteers will be on-site to help you and we hope to do our best to accommodate your needs.

-          Please check the national rail services strike updates for trains arriving in London in case you are planning to arrive on Saturday morning to London.

See you there!

PROFILE OF SPEAKERS:

Lucia Wilde:

Lucia Wilde was appointed as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Turkmenistan in 2021. Prior to this, she was the HR Deputy Director in the Department for Health and Social Care setting up the new Office for Health Disparities.

Earlier in her career, Lucia was the Head of the Department for International Development’s programme in Iraq and worked on counter-narcotics in the British Embassy in Afghanistan. She also served in Moscow, Brussels, and Accra.

Miranda (Harris) Thomas:

Director, Scholarships & International Mobility at The Association of Commonwealth Universities

Chris Born:

Senior Healthcare Specialist, NHS Innovation & Clinical Services, Healthcare UK, Science & Technology Directorate, UK Department for International Trade

Dr. Shuchin Bajaj:

Dr. Shuchin Bajaj is a doctor and a social entrepreneur. He was inspired by his roots as the son of refugee parents to give up his work in Delhi's biggest private hospital and open hospitals, clinics and digital health services aimed at providing high quality low cost health care to communities that don't have access. He currently operates 19 hospitals in five states of North India, supported by a network of outreach clinics and digital health services providing free tele consultations, to ensure everyone in the world has access to high quality health care services regardless of their financial, geographical or social status.

Julia Booth:

Unit Coordinator - Research Practices, University of Sydney

Julia has an extensive experience in project management and devising strategies for businesses, non-profit organisations, Government organisations and non-Government organisations in Australia and abroad.

Emmanuel Artusa-Barrell:

Emmanuel has worked in several areas related to risk management, both in corporate and government arenas, including political and security risks across many countries and industries in Latin America. He previously worked as an advisor for several embassies in Argentina and for NGOs such as the Okita Foundation, working on bilateral trade and investment. Emmanuel holds a degree in International Relations from the Catholic University of Salta, a Master’s of Science in Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management from the University of Leicester, a Master’s in Business Administration from the Catholic University of Argentina and a Master’s of Science in international business and politics from Queen Mary University of London after been awarded the FCO Chevening Scholarship. Since 2022, Emmanuel is the current Board Chair of the Chevening Alumni Alliance.

Bayramgul Garabayeva:

Head of Office, Karachi, Pakistan - United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

Accomplished UN development practitioner with over 20 years of experience in policy analysis, programme/project design, implementation and M&E, management and coordination, capacity development, governance, and policy advocacy.

Gulshat Kochak:

Board Director, Chevening Alumni Alliance/CAPF Project Manager

Gulshat is an independent consultant with more than sixteen years of extensive experience in programme coordination, monitoring and evaluation of programmes, research and policy analysis with a focus on Central Asia. She has specialised experience in coordinating education and healthcare programs and community engagement initiatives. During 2003-2012, Gulshat worked for UNICEF Turkmenistan as a project manager and has experience in programme coordination, undertaking and leading assessments on the impact of Government policies, as well as solid knowledge on Central Asia region and working with various stakeholders.

Ben Ovio:

Board Director, Chevening Alumni Alliance; ENDIP International Development.

More than 2 decades postgraduate experience in managing and implementing development programmes with focus in Private Sector Development, Agriculture and Agribusiness Development Services, Business Incubation, Value Chain Analysis & Development, Entrepreneurship Development, Investment Climate, Institutional Mapping, Market Systems Development using M4P, Women Economic Empowerment/Women in Business Frameworks; Business Regulatory & Enabling Ease of Doing Business; Grant Management, Access to Finance & Financial Inclusion (Micro-Finance), Access to Market & Access to Information).

Arinze Ekwem:

A Pharmacist with over six years’ experience in Operations Management, Supply Chain Governance and Market Shaping.

Dr. Ruchi Saxena:

Founder-Director of Caerobotics, University of Oxford

Dr Ruchi Saxena is a researcher, consultant, storyteller and facilitator for technology and systems adoption for equitable and sustainable development. She makes access to emerging technologies, frameworks and systems simpler, ethical and safe for sustainable, inclusive and equitable development. She works with researchers, manufacturers, service providers, policymakers, regulators, global non-profits and associations on building human-centred and planet-centred capacity-building programs, project frameworks, advocacy, outreach and impact assessment projects.

Her goal is to build collaborations, evidence and systems that promise to reduce inequities at scale. She has been awarded the 'People's Choice Award' in the 'Disruptor' category at Airwards and was among the '50 Women in Robotics You Must Know About' list in 2021.

She is a Chevening Scholar (2022-23) and is a graduate student at the University of Oxford. Mohammad Haqmal:

Mohammad is experienced in leading national & international programs and organizations in the capacity of Regional Technical Consultant, Project Director, Country Medical Coordinator, Lecturer and Researcher for about 18 years.