Global Connections in Digital Social Innovation and Health Equity: featuring Hajar Shirley

inclusive Health Innovation Together’s CEO, Hajar Shirley, was selected as a #panelist and #keynote #presenter at the 7th Annual Ethio Health Exhibition & Congress in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Ethio Health is referred to as “the biggest international health care trade show in the East African region.” The #exhibition is designed to host a variety of #leaders, #vendors, and #affiliates of #healthcare to come together and showcase up-to-date information at a global level. Spearheaded by her connections at the Women’s Leadership and Inclusion Symposium at the Rutgers University Mandela Washington Fellowship Institutes in June of 2022, Hajar was invited to present her work internationally. Through collaborative efforts with Misker Kassahun of the GIV Society—Ethiopia, a forged #partnership sparked an opportunity for Hajar to share the #international #impact of #digital #innovation.   

Hajar spoke at the “The Role of Digital Health in Community Health Education, Diagnosis, Treatment and Capacity building” conference session.   As a #translational Health Equity #Leader and #Scholar, her mission is to forge new #academic-#industry partnerships to advance #diversity, #equity, and #inclusion in Global Digital Health. This experience highlighted her impact as a strategic organizational leader with 20 years of #experience in healthcare innovation and technology.  In the realms of #designing, #developing, and #deploying patient-centered global programs and capabilities in digital health, Hajar’s work enhanced patient-centered #engagement and chronic care management. She believes in the #power of digital health. Citing her former role as Global Head- Commercial Tech and J&J Diabetes Care Companies, she notes the recognition of the significant disparities in how we are engaging and designing inclusive Health Innovations – specifically to serve historically marginalized #communities.  “There is much work to do to advance digital and health equity across all communities.  Tech and Digital Health can be a powerful health enabler; however, when designed without a Social Determinants of Health lens, these very #technologies can further exacerbate disparities.” – says Haj Shirley.  This thinking has shaped inclusive Health Innovation Together (iHIT Co.) Mission and Vision.  As a self-defined Servant Leader, Hajar shows #commitment to serving our global community by leading work and strategic contributions to global public health, clinical and health education, and high-impact community-engaged initiatives centered on driving improved health outcomes. Her passion is driven by a reimagined #future of more #equitable and just deployment of healthcare innovation for ALL.  

Based on her experience working with the Ethio Health Exhibition & Congress, Hajar expressed how moved she was by the work that is underway. With a specific call out to fellow panelist Senait Bitew and PRANA’s Program Leader Misker Kassahun, Hajar mentioned that leaders in #Ethiopia are #transforming spaces with their missions and leadership. “My experience was inspired and energized by the collaboration and partnerships ahead,” Hajar stated after the end of the exhibition. “This experience reinforced the global importance of collaborative and inclusive digital health innovation as an enabler to improved global health outcomes.  To ensure equity in health innovations, such forums, partnerships, and collaboratives such as iHIT and Ethio Health are just the first steps moving toward inclusive co-design of innovations.”   

IHIT is committed to nurturing and strengthening future collaboration to bring forward inclusive #advancements in Digital Health. As CEO, Hajar Shirley plans to advance connections to digital health and social innovation through conversations with St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College- SPHMMC and the Federal Ministry of Health Ethiopia. Forging #partnerships is critical in creating global #change, which Hajar has done through her participation at the Ethio Health Exhibition & Congress. She would like to give her acknowledgment and praise to #PRANA, organizers of the conference, for their in-depth showcase of global advancements in the health industry and for the opportunity for her to participate as a keynote panelist. At inclusive Health Innovation Together, we applaud both Hajar Shirley and #PRANA for their involvement in spanning #digital #health across the world.