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Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. “Health is wealth” is a phrase that people have been using for years, and to me, it does not only refer to the health of one’s body but also to the opportunities that I see in health. The category has historically been geared towards products for men and women as a whole — and not focused on the issues that women specifically face. However, in the first half of 2024, digital health startups looking to improve women’s health outcomes saw a 3% increase in capital invested when compared to the first 6 months of 2023, showing a total of $679 million for 2024, according to PitchBook . This increased investment interest, I believe, will not only l ead to better health outcomes for women but present a set of opportunities for people to build their tech careers in this growing sector. The areas within women’s health that tech companies are targeting and show the most promise are companies focused on...
An observation Amber Hill made as a medical researcher jumpstarted her founder journey. In conversation with TechCrunch, Hill notes that she found manual administrative tasks tedious and felt that the time could have been put to better use. “I was spending so much time doing manual tasks that didn’t require any medical expertise. It’s a process that’s completely broken, and I knew it could be fixed,” she told the outlet. In 2020, Hill launched London, England-based Research Grid. The artificial intelligence (AI)-driven platform is intended to increase efficiency in clinical trials by automating manual processes, its website mentions. It currently offers two products: Inclusive and Trial Engine. Inclusive is described as a “community engagement sourcing and management platform” to support early trials through smart automations and patient engagement. This feature has grown a network of over 300 million patients across at least 90,000 communities. Its second product is Trial Engine, a...
Dr. Elizabeth Clayborne is gaining traction in the investment world for her medical device known as the “Band-Aid for nosebleeds.” As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Dr. Clayborne is the founder of NasaClip, which was inspired by her time in residency in Washington, DC. Various patients were coming into the emergency room for an issue professionals in the medical field described as a “lower acuity issue.” “Nosebleeds are most common in kids age 2 to 10, older adults 55 to 80, who might be on blood thinners, it’s really the least likely population to manage it well. So when they can’t get that bleeding to stop, they show up to me in the ER, and they want me to treat them right away. They’re bleeding all over the waiting room demanding to be seen. But for us as ER docs, this is a lower acuity issue, but it happens to be really kind of time-consuming and cumbersome to deal with,” she said over a Zoom webinar held on Oct. 31, 2024. She continued, “I was frustrated as a resident. Often...
The first patient to receive gene therapy for sickle cell disease since its approval is finally home. The New York Times reported that staff members were overjoyed as 12-year-old Kendric Cromer left Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC, in a wheelchair on Oct. 16, 2024. Kendric is one of approximately 20,000 people with the most severe form of sickle cell disease. This condition results from a mutation in the hemoglobin genes, causing red blood cells to take on a crescent shape. These misshaped cells can block blood vessels, leading to severe pain, stroke, organ damage, and reduced life expectancy. “I thought I would have sickle cell for the rest of my life,” Kendric said, according to The Times. Throughout his childhood, the disease had prevented him from enjoying playing basketball or riding a bike. Such activities would trigger pain and require frequent trips to the hospital. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , about 100,000 people in the U.S....
Southern University’s College of Nursing and Allied Health is breaking barriers and making history in remarkable ways. According to WBRZ-2 News, the Baton Rouge, LA-based Historically Black College and University has achieved a significant milestone by welcoming the largest cohort of Black male nursing students in its history — 33 individuals. “The diversity of males in healthcare is very important for us,” said nursing student James Rodgers. “So to be a part of something like this is legendary for us.” Student Ray Washington added, “I think now other males, younger black males, older males having the opportunity to see what we’re doing here is only going to ignite a fire in them and say we have the opportunity to decide our own story and not allow the world to make that decision for us.” The students are determined to transform the face of healthcare while challenging stereotypes . Their commitment goes beyond caring for their peers; they aspire to make a lasting impact on their...
Bright mind Heman Bekele has been named TIME’s 2024 Kid of the Year. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Bekele, who was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, developed the idea to create a Skin Cancer Treating Soap (SCTS), which resulted in a “compound based bar of soap charged with different types of cancer-fighting chemicals.” According to TIME, the soap incorporates imiquimod, which is a drug used in treating one form of skin cancer as well as other skin-related issues. “It’s supposed to help heal the skin internally, which will then show results externally because the skin cancer will slowly start to fade away,” Bekele explained in 2023. This led to him being recognized that year as “America’s Top Young Scientist” in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the nation’s premier middle school science competition created by 3M and Discovery Education. Bekele became the first Black scientist to receive the honor at 14 years old. “It’s incredible, and it’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime type of...
This Black doctor just made history at Johns Hopkins University! In June 2024, Nancy Abu-Bonsrah achieved a historic feat, becoming the first Black woman to graduate from Johns Hopkins University’s neurosurgery program. She took to social media to announce the news, however, it was a close friend who noted that Dr. Abu-Bonsrah had quite literally also made history, Because Of Them We Can reports. “Congratulations to my dear friend, and the first Black woman to graduate from the neurosurgery program at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Nancy Abu-Bonsrah!,” wrote the woman called Anna, whose username is @itsafronomics. Congratulations to my dear friend, and the first Black woman to graduate from the neurosurgery program at John’s Hopkins, Dr. Nancy Abu-Bonsrah ( @BonsrahNancy )! #medtwitter pic.twitter.com/gdu6x7pF9i — Anna (@itsafronomics) June 28, 2024 According to Dr. Abu-Bonsrah, becoming a neurosurgery doctor was a 12-year journey. She also noted that it felt “surreal” that she’d completed the...
Howard University women’s basketball has landed a sweet deal with Black Girl Vitamins. According to a press release, Howard University Bison Women’s Basketball team has cemented a multi-year deal with Black Girl Vitamins as its official sponsor. The vitamin company aims to empower Black women in their health journeys with high-quality products, health expertise, and education resources. Through the partnership, the team’s players and coaches will receive vitamins, and the team will also be provided with direct monetary sponsorship. “Thank you, @blackgirlvitamins !! Thank you for seeing us!! Thank you for seeing all Black Women and making our health a priority,” the team wrote in a caption shared on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by HU Womens Basketball Team (@howard_wbb) Black Girl Vitamins commented in a separate Instagram post: “Holding this secret in for this long was not easy for us at all, legit wanted to explode. But yes we are THE OFFICIAL, yes THE...
A Black-owned pharmacy is opening in St. Louis, MO. According to a news release, GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness has opened in St. Louis to serve 45,000 residents who had been without a pharmacy in their area. St. Louis native Dr. Marcus Howard founded GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness, the first Black-owned pharmacy in Missouri. He had left the St. Louis area to pursue a degree in higher learning, obtaining a bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D. “I went to North Carolina to pursue my undergrad degree and my Ph.D., and I returned home to really take all the things that I learned out in the community in other places and bring them back home because I know St. Louis is a great place. It’s my home. I just wanted to just bring something back and make a difference,” he said in an interview with Nine PBS. Dr. Howard wanted to become a doctor because he recognized the disparities in the local area, especially in healthcare. He aimed to eliminate those disparities. “Growing up in North City, you...
With the National Center for Health Statistics reporting that the maternal mortality rate for Black women is roughly two times the rate of their white counterparts, BirthFUND is on a mission to change the narrative. Created by award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Elaine Welteroth, the BirthFUND program has raised a total of more than $1.2 million and is working toward its mission to provide “a direct solution to combat the maternal health crisis by raising funds and awareness for midwifery care.” “Every day, I am motivated to make a difference on this issue because of the unfathomable loss of life too many families experience during and after childbirth in this country and all across the world,” Welteroth told AFROTECH™ . “The preventable deaths of mothers like April Valentine and Kira Johnson — both due to gross medical negligence — are constant reminders to me of the urgency and importance of this issue. The devastating reality is that they could have...
A birthing center has opened in North Omaha, NE’s historic Black business district. A ribbon-cutting celebration will kick off around 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 13, 2024, at 2306 N. 24th St. I Be Black Girl, a collective for Black women, femmes, and girls focused on Black-led investments, policy and power building, economic, and birth justice, will host the celebration, according to its website. The celebration will continue throughout the weekend with a Juneteenth Parade on Saturday, June 14, and the I Be Black Girl’s Heart, Soul, & Roll Community Stroll held the following day at 1 p.m. “We want it to be a celebration because it’s such a big milestone for addressing and creating solutions around our experiences as Black women, femmes, and girls,” Ashlei Spivey, the organization’s founder and executive director, said per Omaha World-Herald. Spivey is also running to represent District 13 in the Nebraska Legislature. The facility is called the Anarcha Center in honor of Anarcha...
A dream deferred doesn’t equate to it being denied. Instead, it could open the door to a new dream. Coming from families of entrepreneurs, Joshua Obasohan and Neto Nwogbo, college students at the time, were brainstorming business venture ideas. They initially wanted to start a recycling company in Nigeria, their home country. Then they shifted to health care, wanting to build a hospital there. However, both ideas came with barriers and challenges to properly execute them, which led to a change of plans. “We eventually pivoted to telehealth, but then again, because of a lot of key metrics in Nigeria like the smartphone penetration rate and internet penetration, it wasn’t as feasible,” Nwogbo explained to AFROTECH™. “The tech penetration wasn’t there for the customer base that we wanted to reach and wasn’t as accessible. So then, we pivoted to a market that we know better, which is the university healthcare space.” Obasohan and Nwogbo, both 21, launched Loop Health, a telehealth...
A new health clinic has opened in Michael Jordan’s hometown of Wilmington, NC, following a generous donation by the NBA legend. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Jordan had donated $10 million in 2022 to support the development of medical clinics to the regional healthcare system Novant Health, which will offer its services to both uninsured or underinsured residents of New Hanover County in North Carolina. Prior to May 8, 2024, two clinics had been opened to families in town, with two others in Charlotte, NC. Speaking on its impact, residents who have “never had a primary care provider before” have “praised the clinic teams for helping restore health and a sense of hope,” according to a press release, People reports. Now, the clinic will be extending its impact in light of a third Wilmington clinic, which includes 12 patient rooms. The Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic has opened on Greenfield Street with the goal of bringing “much-needed comprehensive primary care...
Equinox has reportedly launched the world’s most expensive gym membership. According to NBC News, the exclusive fitness chain has kickstarted a $40,000 annual program geared toward helping people improve their overall health and longevity. In partnership with lab-test startup Function Health, Optimize by Equinox, is a personalized health program curated by the company to equip participants with a variety of services, including personal training, nutrition plans, sleep coaching, and massage therapy. “It’s really a paradigm shift in how we’re able to live with vitality and avoid suffering,” Jonathan Swerdlin, co-founder of Function Health, said. “It deals with what’s above the surface, your abs and glutes, which you can see in the mirror, that are great. But it also deals with what’s below the surface and what you can’t see in the mirror. And that’s revolutionary.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Equinox (@equinox) Kicking off with a range of tests, t he program is...
A long-time factor for a medical test for kidney transplant evaluations has been rectified, which has lessened a massive barrier for Black patients in need of a new kidney. Previously, the eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) test that is used for kidney transplant waitlist evaluations included race and outdated studies that inaccurately showed that Black patients’ kidney function was different than other racial groups and underestimated the extent of their illness, according to ABC News. Today, race is no longer taken into consideration. This came after reassessment from the National Kidney Foundation and the American Society of Nephrology in 2020, which determined race had no connection to kidney function. As a resulted, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network enacted the update in 2023. “That really was problematic, but it was very widely accepted,” said Martha Pavlakis, former chair of the kidney committee with the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network,...