Applications are open for young Africans passionate about transforming healthcare through technology. The Africa Youths in Digital Health Network (YiDHN) a Pan-African initiative under the Africa CDC Youth Programme, invites students, young professionals, innovators, researchers, healthcare workers, and entrepreneurs to join a growing continental community dedicated to digital health.
YiDHN is a collaborative platform that empowers, connects, and supports young professionals, innovators, and advocates in digital health across Africa. Launched by Africa CDC (in collaboration with partners including the GIZ-AU office), it aims to ensure African youth actively shape digitally enabled, equitable, and resilient healthcare systems on the continent.
YiDHN has a clear vision to empower African youth to drive and shape digitally enabled healthcare systems. It focuses on building a network of young Africans and harnessing their potential in digital health to contribute to healthier populations and stronger systems.
YiDHN works toward four core objectives:
– Empower Leadership: Build essential skills, foster mentorship, and provide training on Africa-specific digital health frameworks.
- Promote Participation: Increase youth involvement in digital health governance, policy discussions, and decision-making bodies.
- Grow Innovation: Support youth-led digital health startups through access to funding, resources, and investor connections.
- Facilitate Collaboration: Strengthen partnerships among stakeholders to align resources and drive impactful solutions.
The network addresses key challenges such as digital literacy gaps, supportive policy frameworks, funding barriers for innovators, and limited access to decision-makers.
Membership Benefits
Members gain access to:
- Digital health training and capacity-building programmes
- Mentorship from experts in public health and digital health
- Networking with peers across Africa
- Research and innovation opportunities
- Leadership and advocacy initiatives
- Exclusive workshops, webinars, and professional development programmes
- Collaboration on projects that improve health outcomes continent-wide
Members often receive priority access to training, mentorship, and collaborative initiatives under the Africa CDC Youth Programme. Recent examples include specialised research training workshops open exclusively to network members.
Who Can Apply?
The network is open to young Africans interested in:
- Digital Health
- Public Health
- Health Innovation and Technology
- Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
- Research
- Health Policy
- Digital Transformation
It welcomes:
- Students
- Young professionals
- Healthcare workers
- Researchers
- Entrepreneurs and innovators
- Technology enthusiasts committed to improving healthcare in Africa
The focus remains on youth engagement, consistent with Africa CDC’s broader youth initiatives targeting those typically aged 18–35. Citizens of African Union member states and Africans in the diaspora are encouraged to participate.
Why This Matters
Africa’s population is predominantly young comprising of over 65% under 35 years of age in many contexts. Digital technologies offer powerful tools to strengthen health systems, expand access in underserved areas, improve data-driven decision-making, and accelerate progress toward Universal Health Coverage. YiDHN helps equip the next generation with the skills, networks, and platforms needed to lead this transformation while amplifying youth voices in policy and innovation ecosystems.
How to Apply
Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible by completing the Africa Youths in Digital Health Onboarding official onboarding form using the Link provided 👉 Here
For more information, visit the Africa CDC Youth Programme website (youth.africacdc.org) or contact the team via YouthProgramme@africacdc.org. Follow Africa CDC Youth on social media for the latest announcements.
