They said innovations such as in genomic research, artificial intelligence, digital health and point-of-care technology would have limited impact without political commitment, effective implementation and community participation.The call was made at the 11th Future of Health Conference during a panel session titled “Innovations That Save Lives Now”, where experts discussed how existing solutions could be deployed and scaled to address pressing healthcare challenges.

Erasmus Morah, senior adviser to the Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said innovations and scientific breakthroughs alone could not transform healthcare without effective leadership, political commitment and the involvement of affected communities.

Drawing on experiences in Nigeria and other African countries, Morah said successful health interventions depended on translating evidence into policies and practices that responded to people’s needs.

He cited Nigeria’s progress in HIV treatment coverage, recalling that coverage stood at about 33 percent in 2017 before a national survey helped revise estimates of the number of people living with HIV.
“Science without politics is powerless. Politics without science is dangerous,” he said.
Morah called for implementation coalitions led by local champions and shaped by affected communities to ensure that major health innovations produced lasting results.

He said reliable data could improve decision-making, but achieving results also required people willing to challenge established assumptions and ensure evidence informed policy.

Vivianne Ihekweazu, managing director of Nigeria Health Watch, said the conference was designed to shift attention from discussing future innovations to examining existing solutions addressing health challenges and how they could be scaled.
She said the theme reflected the need to ensure that innovations translated into practical improvements for people who needed healthcare immediately.
“A pregnant woman is not going to wait for some innovation in two years’ time to say, ‘Ah, now she’s getting better.’ She needs that innovation right now,” Ihekweazu said.

The conference also featured innovation showcases and sessions on digital health, maternal healthcare, family planning, vaccine research and climate-resilient health facilities.

Ify Aniebo , molecular geneticist said genomic research, artificial intelligence and machine learning could help Nigeria identify malaria drug resistance and guide more targeted interventions.

She said her team had reduced the cost of sequencing malaria parasites from about $150 to $20 per sample and developed a dashboard and WhatsApp interface to make complex genetic data more accessible to policymakers.

According to her, the tools could help malaria control programmes anticipate drug resistance and direct resources to high-risk areas.
She said researchers were also exploring similar approaches in breast cancer research to advance precision medicine.

Similarly, Ifeyinwa Rhodes-Vivour, founder of AfroScientric, said genomic sequencing could help researchers identify genetic differences and resistance patterns among malaria parasites across communities.

She said conventional epidemiological approaches alone might not provide sufficient information about the genetic characteristics of parasites, particularly as drug resistance threatens the effectiveness of existing treatments.

Rhodes-Vivour said laboratory innovations had reduced sequencing costs from about $150 to between $20 and $24 per sample, while a digital dashboard and AI-powered WhatsApp tool helped policymakers access research findings.
She said the information could support evidence-based interventions tailored to different locations.

Ikechukwu Anoke of Zuri Health also highlighted the role of technology in connecting people in underserved communities with healthcare providers, particularly in areas with limited medical personnel.

He said healthcare innovation should extend beyond medical equipment to include practical solutions that make services more accessible and affordable. Anoke called for screening services to be take directly to communities where access to health workers was limited, noting that early detection could prevent deaths from treatable conditions.

Also speaking, Chidinma Anyanwu of Project HOPE said the organisation was deploying point-of-care ultrasound technology and training healthcare workers to identify high-risk pregnancies early and reduce maternal deaths.

She recounted the case of a rural woman who died during childbirth after prolonged labour and transfers between health facilities. The woman had missed antenatal care because the nearest primary healthcare centre was two hours away and she could not afford the journey.
Anyanwu said timely screening and ultrasound could have identified the pregnancy complication and enabled health workers to plan appropriate care.

She said Project HOPE was strengthening 10 health facilities in Kwara State with ultrasound equipment and training. Five facilities would serve as hubs, while the others would refer pregnant women for scans when necessary.