eHealth Africa has commenced a conversation in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing together health experts, media practitioners, and communication leaders from across Africa to explore how creative and entertainment industries can collaborate with the health sector to drive transformative, scalable impact across the continent.
The Africa Soft Power Summit titled, “Edutainment: A Creative Solution for Social Impact in Africa,” spotlighting the powerful intersection of entertainment, media, and health.
A statement issued by Knowledge Management and Acting Communications Lead, Favour Oriaku, eHealth Africa session was co-hosted and moderated by eHealth Africa’s Director of Partnerships and Programs, Ota Akhigbe, and Chief of Staff/Head of Strategies at BellaNaija, Mary Edoro.
The session also featured influential voices such as Enock Musyoka, Strategic Partnerships Manager at Reach Digital Health; Nelson Aseka, Founder and CEO of AIfluence; and Jay Shapiro, CEO of Usiku Games. Additionally, Dr. Christabel Gero from the Population Council’s GIRL Center and Bridget Deacon from SHUJAAZ delivered compelling presentations on preliminary findings from research into digital Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) platforms.
During session, industry leaders delved into how creative media is influencing health behavior change among youth, and how Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools like chatbots are being integrated into public health campaigns to make information more accessible and engaging.
Panelists also emphasized the importance of building community trust and leveraging peer influence to drive behavior change and foster safer, more inclusive digital spaces for all.
Speaking during the event, the Partnerships and Programmes Director at eHealth Africa, Ota Akhigbe, emphasised the urgent need for collaboration across sectors, particularly as Africa accelerates the adoption of digital health solutions in underserved communities.
“It’s far more powerful for ten organizations to come together to create something transformative that outlives and outlasts them, rather than for each to work in isolation,” she said.
