Charles Kwaku-Odoi CEO, CAHN - harnessing digital tools to reduce health inequalities

Up, Up and Away - the digital health podcast

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In this episode of the Up, Up & Away podcast, Dom Burch interviews Charles Kwaku-Odoi, Chief Executive of the Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN). He is a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Greater Manchester, an honorary member of the esteemed Faculty of Public Health (FPH), and the honorary Ecumenical Canon at Manchester Cathedral.
He has trustees and board roles including the NHS Race and Health Observatory; Manchester Foundation Trust Council of Governors; and Government SAGE Ethnicity Subgroup. Charles was named in the Health Service Journal 50 most influential Black Asian and Minority Ethnic people in health in the UK for two years running (2022 & 2023).
Dom and Charles discuss CAHN's efforts to reduce health inequalities, particularly within Black communities, and its collaboration with Tiny Medical Apps on developing a Digital Health Passport to assist in managing long-term conditions like epilepsy and sickle cell anaemia.
Health Inequalities and Trust:
Charles emphasises the deep challenge of trust in healthcare, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic:
"The big challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic was the lack of trust in services."
He highlights the need to build relationships with faith and community leaders to gain trust and improve health outcomes.

Co-Design and Lived Experience:
Charles underscores the importance of including communities in the design of healthcare solutions: "The lived experience makes an awful lot of difference."
Co-designing with communities ensures the relevance and effectiveness of healthcare interventions.
Digital Health and Empowerment:
He discusses the empowering role of digital tools like the health passport for sickle cell patients: "It's empowering for people to take the lead in managing their conditions."
He explains that enabling individuals to track symptoms and access reliable information can reduce the burden on the healthcare system.
Collaboration and Long-Term Solutions:
Charles advocates for moving away from short-term pilots and focusing on long-term, systemic change, calling for greater collaboration between regions and communities: "We need to shift from treating conditions to treating people as individuals."
Join us for a special webinar hosted by Tiny Medical Apps on 15th October, titled "Asthma Innovation: Digital Strategies to Impact Health in our Communities". Explore how digital health tools can revolutionise asthma care and improve health outcomes in underserved communities. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from industry experts and learn about cutting-edge strategies to tackle health inequalities through technology. Register now to secure your spot!