Stressing the need to include women and young people in the healthcare leadership space, Amujae Leader Umra Omar took to the stage at a recent session of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos to advocate for inclusive and equitable healthcare services.

Making healthcare accessible to rural and marginalized communities cannot be achieved without gender-sensitive partnerships with civil society and community leaders, said Ms. Omar during the session entitled ‘Turning the Tide on Infectious Diseases and Cancer.’

As a leader of a community-based organization that delivers medical solutions to rural areas in Kenya—Safari Doctors—Ms. Omar experienced the unique support that African women provide during health crises, and how “they carry the weight and help their communities.” Adopting a gender-conscious agenda is therefore critical for the future of healthcare delivery in rural areas.

She added that young people are capable of shaping the future of healthcare globally, and must therefore be given the opportunity to steer the course in this area of development:

“If you are talking about all these innovations, and all these platforms, globally, there is no movement forward without having the young people take up the spaces.”

The COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Omar further argued, has brought attention to the integral role of community health workers in delivering crucial services. Therefore, it is time for a reckoning on the importance of investing in these workers and giving them the support they deserve, she stressed.

Ms. Omar spoke at the World Economic Forum session alongside Michelle Longmire, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Medable, Inc.; Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation; and Nita Madhav, Chief Executive Officer of Metabiota. The discussion was moderated by Megan Palmer, Executive Director of Bio Policy and Leadership Initiatives, and Adjunct Professor, Department of Bioengineering at Stanford University.

Watch the full session here.