Silina MRS wins excellence award at Togo health tech competition

Health

Tuesday, 31 March 2026 15:59

Silina MRS wins excellence award at Togo health tech competition

(Togo First) - Togo’s Silina MRS project won the excellence award at the “Challenge Tech Santé” competition, organized by the government with support from technical partners to promote the digital transformation of the national health system through local innovation.

Silina MRS won first prize among 10 finalists evaluated in the final round based on relevance, feasibility and impact. The project stood out with integrated software covering medical records, pharmacy management and billing, designed to operate without a stable internet connection. It received 15 million CFA francs.

Nova Health took second place with the Applied Research prize worth 10 million CFA francs, while Togohealth Innovators received the Best Pitch award valued at 5 million CFA francs. The public prize, worth 200,000 CFA francs, went to the Excelsis project.

For Cina Lawson, minister of digital transformation, the implications go beyond the competition. “Artificial intelligence seems like a complicated subject for many, but you have demonstrated the value of our work,” she said. She added that solutions must address real needs and “save lives.”

In addition to the financial awards, winners will receive a year of support to scale their projects. The aim is to turn these prototypes into operational tools adopted within public policy.

“The most important thing is to use the tools being developed and to encourage innovation,” said Aristide Gnassingbé, national coordinator for digital health, who also highlighted their role in disease prevention and health promotion.

Launched in November 2025, the competition attracted 124 teams with a total of 464 participants, all focused on using technology to address structural challenges in the health system, at a time when unequal access to care, overburdened facilities and a lack of reliable data remain major constraints.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

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