Researchers urge African institutions to turn women's health science into products

As women across African countries continue to bear the burden of neglected health conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids, infertility and menstrual disorders, health leaders and researchers are calling for increased investment in research and innovation to develop affordable and accessible solutions.

The call was made on Tuesday during the LEA-WH Fellowship Women’s Health Ecosystem Forum in Nairobi, where African researchers and international partners highlighted the need to move beyond maternal health and address women's health challenges throughout their lives.

Speaking during the forum, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Chief Executive Officer Prof. Elijah Songok said research institutions must focus on translating scientific knowledge into products that improve people's lives rather than concentrating solely on academic publications.

"Just dissemination of knowledge is not now more critical than actually knowledge translation," he said, adding that researchers should be measured by the practical solutions their work delivers.

KEMRI Board Chairperson Dr Abdullahi Ali said the fellowship was a strategic investment in African talent and institutional capacity, noting that many conditions affecting women continue to receive inadequate research attention, investment and policy prioritisation.

He said Africa needed a strong ecosystem of scientists and innovation leaders capable of generating evidence, developing products and influencing policy.

LEA-WH Fellowship Programme Director Prof. Elizabeth Anne Bukusi recalled her experience as a young doctor in 1987 and 1988, when she frequently attended to women admitted with ruptured ectopic pregnancies, often linked to untreated sexually transmitted infections.

She said the experience inspired her interest in reproductive health research and highlighted how little had changed for women facing preventable complications.

"Women are still dying from ectopic gestations today because we have sexually transmitted diseases that are undiagnosed, that are untreated," she said.

She added that losing a woman meant losing not only a life but also the potential and contribution she could make to her family and community.

Speaking virtually, World Health Organization's Head of Contraception and Fertility Care Unit, Dr James Kiarie, urged African researchers to adopt a broader approach to women's health, encompassing sexual and reproductive health, fertility, mental well-being and healthy ageing.

He challenged universities and research institutions to go beyond publishing papers and ensure research results in products, services or strategies that respond to local needs.

"One-size-fits-all solutions are actually a relic of the past," he said, calling for innovations designed around Africa's healthcare systems and resource constraints.

Meanwhile, Maike Scharp, Deputy Director in the Foundation Strategy Office at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, highlighted the global research and investment gap in women's health.

She noted that women spend 25% more of their lives in poor health than men, despite generally living longer. She also cited research showing that medicines are 3.5 times more likely to be withdrawn for safety reasons in women than in men.

"Society has normalized women's suffering instead of solving it. It's time to give women's health the attention and investment it deserves," she said, quoting Melinda Gates.

The three-year LEA-WH initiative, supported by the Gates Foundation and implemented in partnership with the US National Academy of Medicine, aims to support 60 mid-career African researchers and innovators across three cohorts.

National Academy of Medicine Senior Programme Officer Kelly Robbins encouraged fellows to utilise the $7,000 professional development support available to each participant to strengthen their research, build international networks and advance innovation projects.

The programme targets five to 10 women's health products reaching market testing, five to 10 start-ups and five to 10 patent applications, alongside efforts to mobilise additional research funding.

The partners say the ultimate goal is to strengthen African scientific leadership and ensure research translates into practical solutions that improve women's lives across the continent.