BALTIMORE, USA – At the just ended Mzuzah Convergence Conference on sustaining African Healthcare Innovations held at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Dr. Dougbeh Christopher Nyan, has said that “women deserve to be paid more money and provided more opportunities and incentives in order to sustain societal growth and entrepreneurial excellence in Africa.”
Dr. Nyan, a social activist and renowned infectious disease scientist, made the statement in an interview at the close of the Africa Health Conference at the Johns Hopkins University. He added that women take on heavier task and workload in society and in the entrepreneurial world, but are often faced with difficulties and sometimes marginalization.
“Women take on a lot of responsibilities in the work place, at home, in the community, in the entrepreneurial arena and in the society in general; women are very innovative, yet women face disadvantages in the business world and the societies in general,” said Dr. Nyan.
He added that, “philosophically, I think women are special creatures created by God to sustain society. You can see that more women in Africa go into various types of small scale businesses and this helps to create opportunities.”
A 2017 report by MasterCard Index of Women Entrepreneurs (MIWE) listed sub-Saharan Africa as having the world’s higher rate of women’s entrepreneurs, at about 27 percent. The MasterCard Index placed Uganda and Botswana as having the highest percentages of women entrepreneurs globally at 34.8 % and 34.6%, respectively. This trend continue into 2019 as WIWE analysis of women business ownership across 58 markets in the Middle East and Africa region (MEA) placed 5 African countries among the top 10, including Uganda in 1st place, Ghana ranked 2nd, Botswana ranked 3rd, Malawi at 7th place, and Angola at 9th place.
Dougbeh Nyan, who is also an advocate for women’s rights, stressed that, “African governments should design good policies that will provide more business opportunities for female entrepreneurs as this will help contribute to economic growth in Africa and sustain progress.”
Dr. Nyan is a biomedical scientist and medical doctor. He is winner of the 2017 African Innovation Prize for Social Impact. He was also awarded a US Patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for his invention of the rapid multiplex pathogens diagnostic test.
“Given the same and equal opportunities, I believe that women can equally do what men can do, and perhaps even better,” Dr. Nyan said.
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