By Lamin Bangura
Joseph Sellu Vanday, a First-Class graduate in Public Health from Njala University, has emerged as the winner of Sierra Leone’s prestigious Health Innovation Challenge, hosted by the Sierra Leone Youth and Children Advocacy Panel (YACAP) in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and the Ministry of Youth Affairs.
Vanday’s winning proposal, titled “HealthLink Sierra Leone: Solar-Powered Digital Health Hubs for Last-Mile Communities,” was selected from a highly competitive pool of submissions for its ingenuity, scalability, and potential to transform healthcare delivery in rural Sierra Leone.
Despite being early in his professional career, Vanday has already earned recognition for his creative problem-solving skills and evidence-based approach to public health. Building on his academic research at Njala University and field experience with various community health initiatives, he is dedicated to leveraging innovation and technology to address systemic healthcare challenges in low-resource settings.
His project, HealthLink Sierra Leone, introduces solar-powered health hubs strategically located in remote communities with limited infrastructure. The hubs integrate advanced digital tools — including AI-assisted diagnostics, offline-capable electronic health records, and telemedicine platforms — to support community health workers in delivering consistent, high-quality care both online and offline.
A built-in disease surveillance component also strengthens early detection and rapid response to potential outbreaks, making the system both preventive and sustainable.
“I am deeply honored to have my concept recognized among such inspiring innovations,” Vanday said following his win. “HealthLink Sierra Leone is built on a vision of resilient, equitable healthcare — where technology meets community ownership to bring essential services to those who have long been underserved.”
The Health Innovation Challenge continues to serve as a platform for emerging changemakers like Vanday, whose ideas are shaping the future of healthcare innovation and access across Sierra Leone.