Purpose in Practice

Smart Health Africa 2026 Gallery

24 June 2026
Vodacom World Events
082 Vodacom Blvd, Noordwyk, Midrand

Purpose in Practice

Smart Health Africa 2026 Gallery

The Summit Focus

Africa is a continent of contradictions: resilient, resourceful and relentlessly innovative. Our challenges are complex, our realities nuanced, and the solutions we create must be uniquely ours. At Smart Health Africa 2025, we explored Practical Innovation with Purpose. It was a call to move beyond flashy technology and focus on tools that are grounded, purposeful and built for the environments they serve.

But innovation alone is not enough.

Successful transformation depends on how well change is adopted, by healthcare workers, by systems, and by communities. In 2026, we shift our focus to what comes next: Purpose in Practice. How do we embed innovation into real systems, into policy, into behaviour? How do we ensure the tools we build are not only adopted, but adapted, scaled and sustained? This year, we move from theory to traction. From prototypes to practice. Because the true measure of innovation lies not in its design but in its delivery.

“I found the recent Smart Health Africa to be exactly that: a season of clarity, challenge, and renewed purpose.”

“It was a great conference with excellent keynote speakers and inspiring discussions. Definitely look forward to coming again next year.”

“We need more spaces like this where key opinions and perspectives can be shared on digital healthcare and value-based care.”

“There were excellent presenters and great discussions. It was really inspiring to hear about innovative ideas and digital healthcare solutions.”

“Smart Health is indeed about meaningful conversations, future thinking, and genuine human connection”

“I am so grateful to be empowered with new ideas and knowledge to make a difference”

“A privilege to be part of this industry leading summit. It was an energising few days filled with powerful conversations and forward-thinking insights from some of the most innovative minds in the industry.”

“The summit served as a powerful reminder that smart health is not about flashy tech, it’s about meeting real needs with thoughtful, accessible solutions. And as South Africa’s population ages, those needs are growing, quickly and unevenly”

2026 Partners

2026 Speakers

Amber Vodegel

CEO, 28X Ltd

Kelly Bentley

CEO, The Rebel Element

Dr. Michael Mol

Co-Founder, xTenure

Dr. Unben Pillay

CEO, ASAIPA

Ming Tang

Former CDAO, NHS England

Dr. Yaseen Khan

CEO & Co-Founder, EMGuidance

Luis da Silva

CEO, Healthbridge

Dr. Boutros Maroun

Senior Manager of Medical Affairs, EMEALA, Illumina

Dr. Vuyo Gqola

Chief Operations Officer, GEMS

Dr. Claude Ndlovu

Chief Healthcare Officer, GEMS

Roscoe Kerby

Founder and CEO, Skinvest

Dr. Diego Castillo

Co-Founder and CTO, Biomine Health

Braden van Breda

Co-Founder, AI Diagnostics

Tim Kirkelie

Executive Advisor, Ideation Lab

Martin Fernandes

Business Development Manager, Fortinet

Dr. Calvin Howard

Clinical Lead and Commercial Lead, Heidi Health

Dr. Simon Kos

Global Chief Medical Officer, Heidi Health

Dr. Thapelo Motshudi

Managing Director (Specialist Radiologist), Prosper Healthcare

Pippa Yeats

Co-Founder, CCO, Turn.io

Dinesh Govender

CEO of Discovery Vitality

Rui Morais

CEO, Dis-Chem Pharmacies

Rodney Premlall

Head of Product Strategy, Altron HealthTech

Dr. Riaz Motara

CEO, Brandmed

Dr. Shay Ganesh

Chief Medical & Innovation Officer, MediHelp

Mhlengi Magubane

Senior Manager: Strategic Growth, Altron HealthTech

Agenda

June 24, 2026 @ 8:30am

Summit Welcome

Dr. Unben Pillay,
CEO, ASAIPA

Kelly Bentley,
Founder & CEO, The Rebel Element

June 24, 2026 @ 8:45am

Fireside Chat:

Doubling the world’s healthcare capacity without dehumanising it

Interviewer:

Kelly Bentley,
Founder & CEO, The Rebel Element

Interviewee:

Dr. Simon Kos,
Global Chief Medical Officer, Heidi Health

June 24, 2026 @ 9:20am

International Keynote:

Health Intelligence Without the Cloud: On-Device AI as Infrastructure for the Underserved

Amber Vodegel,
Founder & CEO, 28X

June 24, 2026 @ 10:05am

Influencer Panel:

Longevity & Preventative Wellness

Speaker/Moderator:

Dr. Michael Mol

Panelists

Dr. Mosima Mabunda,
Chief Clinical Officer, Discovery Vitality

Dr. Riaz Motara,
CEO, Brandmed

Dr. Shay Ganesh,
Chief Medical & Innovation Officer, MediHelp

June 24, 2026 @ 10:40am

Refreshment Break

June 24, 2026 @ 11:15am

Disruptor Showcase:

Gut Instinct: Decoding the Microbiome

Dr. Diego Castillo,
Co-Founder, Biomine

June 24, 2026 @ 11:30am

Smart Health Speaker:

Are We Seeing the Person, or Just the Patient?

Mhlengi Magubane,
Senior Manager: Strategic Growth, Altron HealthTech

June 24, 2026 @ 11:50am

Keynote Speaker:

From Devices to Decisions: How Data, AI & Wearables Are Shaping the Future of Health

Dinesh Govender,
CEO, Discovery Vitality

June 24, 2026 @ 12:25pm