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In an increasingly connected world, the need for innovation and leadership among young people has never been more pressing. The Generation Connect Young Leadership Program (GCYLP), supported by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and Huawei, aims to be a catalyst for innovation by providing young digital leaders with the tools necessary to bring innovative and inclusive community projects to fruition. Each year, the GCYLP supports 30 young people in the implementation of their projects, providing them with supervision, training and financial support. In this interview, Maya Fakhfakh, graduate of the Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, beneficiary of the GCYLP program, shares her inspiring journey as a digital health professional and founder of the NGO Medntech. She lets us discover her motivation for joining this program and the impact of her projects in reducing health inequalities. Interview.
To begin, could you introduce yourself and tell us about your background?
I completed my medical studies at the Faculty of Medicine of Tunis before pursuing a master’s degree in public health research at Laval University, in Canada. My background is focused on digital health, with a research thesis on the engagement of patients in their health decision-making through technological tools. Currently, I am a specialized research professional at the CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, where I develop public health strategies and interventions for marginalized populations. At the same time, I am continuing a research development stay at the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières, as the recipient of an excellence scholarship, offered by the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ).
My work consists of adopting an innovative approach to reduce social inequalities in health, particularly through the use of technologies.
Recently, I founded Medntech, an NGO using cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), to reduce health inequalities in Africa, focusing on prevention and community empowerment. My goal is to promote a more equitable health system, particularly for the most vulnerable populations.
How did you learn about the ITU-Huawei Leadership Program (GCYLP)?
As an innovator in the healthcare field, I am always looking for opportunities to expand my professional network and connect with other experts to bring my vision to life. With this in mind, I discovered the ITU-Huawei Leadership Program (GCYLP) on social media. This program immediately attracted me by its potential to foster technological innovation while creating a real and lasting impact within communities.
What motivated you to join and how do you hope this experience will influence your professional and personal journey?
It is the vision of supporting innovative projects focused on cutting-edge technologies that motivated me to join this program. I was particularly inspired by the idea of using digital innovations to create a more inclusive future for communities, which aligns perfectly with my career goals.
The GCYLP program launched by ITU and Huawei provides a unique opportunity to meet like-minded peers, as well as mentors and experts in the field, providing considerable support. Being part of this program allows me to develop my personal qualities as a leader and advance my professional goals.
It will also provide me with networking and collaboration opportunities to advance my initiative to democratize access to preventative health care for those who need it most.
Can you tell us about “Medntech” and how it fits into the objectives of the ITU-Huawei program to support innovation and digital inclusion?
At Medntech, our vision is to use cutting-edge technologies, particularly AI, to reduce social inequalities in health in Africa. We mi[1]sounds about prevention, early detection and community empowerment. Currently, we are focusing our efforts on women’s health, and more specifically on cervical cancer, a cancer that is largely preventable but remains one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in Africa. In line with the WHO initiative to eliminate cervical cancer, we are working on AI-based screening tools to detect the disease, particularly in isolated and underserved communities.
By making this solution accessible to everyone, we hope to reduce pressure on traditional healthcare systems. These goals align perfectly with the ITU-Huawei program, which supports digital innovation and inclusion to meet pressing community needs.
Can you explain how the mobile application you developed improves accessibility to cervical cancer screening, particularly in low-income regions in Africa?
We are designing a mobile application aimed at improving cervical cancer screening, particularly in low-income regions in Africa.
The app uses AI to analyze images of the cervix and identify abnormalities that could indicate cancer. This innovation is designed to support general practitioners, midwives, nurses and community health workers, to address the shortage of oncologists and specialists in these regions.
We integrate our vision of community empowerment by actively involving health professionals in the development of the application, thus collecting their feedback to facilitate its adoption in the field. By combining the potential of AI with the engagement of local communities, we strengthen the effectiveness of screening, increase the number of tests and hope to save lives in these resource-limited areas.
What specific skills or knowledge have you acquired so far through the ITU-Huawei Program (GCYLP), and how do you plan to use them to promote digital inclusion?
The ITU-Huawei program offered me an enriching experience during an upskilling and development week in Geneva, Switzerland in 2024.
I had the honor of participating as a panelist in a discussion on intergenerational leadership, with inspiring leaders such as Corinne Momal-Vanian, Executive Director of the Kofi Annan Foundation, Gavin Allen, Editor-in-Chief at Huawei, and John Omo, Secretary General of the African Telecommunications Union and Gaven Allen, Executive Editor-in-Chief, Huawei. This immersive week also allowed me to strengthen my leadership skills and make essential connections to implement my innovation.
That said, the program, which spans a full year, offers much more than just an initial immersion. It offers workshops on project management, exchanges with peers, as well as numerous opportunities to access funding or participate
at international conferences and events. These resources are valuable to carry out my project and amplify the impact of my organization.
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