Room: Auditorium

Africa has traditionally been the last to receive access to diagnostics, therapeutics, or vaccines. Insufficient investments in the pharmaceutical industry over the years have left African countries dependent on the multilateral system, which hasn’t always delivered equitably. If the past three years have taught us anything, Africa must become self-reliant and shape its own unique health destiny. One such way is by fostering regional integration to consolidate African countries and operate as a ‘One Africa’ economy with a much larger market size and greater economic power. Some such measures could include setting up common regulatory procedures across countries for clinical trials, actively sharing surveillance data and co-owning emergency response human resources during disease outbreaks. If African countries come together and commit to such a unified approach, we can overturn the fragmented efforts that have long stood in the way of holistic progress on the continent and globally. This session will highlight the need to build meaningful partnerships and operationalize coordinated programs that will put in place strong, efficient, and thriving health systems - the backbone of a strong continent.

Speakers

• Ebere Okereke, Incoming CEO of the Africa Public Health Foundation | Senior Health Advisor, Tony Blair Institute for Change
• Dr. Githinji Gitahi, Group CEO, Amref Health Africa
• Dr. Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, Acting Director, Africa CDC 
• Hon. Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, Minister of Health, Rwanda
• Lia Tadesse, Health Minister, Ethiopia
• Vanessa Chiksakula, Co-founder and National Coordinator, Word Smash Poetry
• Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director, World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa
• Dr. Shakira Choonara, Technical Specialist, World Health Organization; AHAIC Commissioner
• Dr. Oyewale Tomori, Professor of Virology, Redeemer’s University
• Dr. Magda Robalo Correia e Silva, President and Co-Founder, Institute for Global Health and Development

Room: MH1

Africa bears up to 25% of the global disease burden while contributing less than 3% of global drug production. Africans are faced with inequitable access to necessary health products, exacerbated by the concentration of manufacturing sites in the global North and Asia and most clinical research being conducted outside the continent, therefore limiting representation of the African gene pool during end-to-end R&D. While Africa has received several financial and technical commitments towards building the local manufacturing ecosystem, little effort has been directed towards strengthening the demand side to address key factors that will guarantee that products developed in Africa will actually be able to meet the needs of the continent and the world. To strengthen global health security, we must support an agenda to develop a sustainable, local manufacturing industry in Africa. This will also increase access to life-saving health products and reduce reliance on other regions.

Co-Hosted by: Coalition for Health Research and Development (CHReaD), South African Health Technologies Advocacy Coalition (SAHTAC), PATH, Aurum Institute, Amref Health Africa

Type of Event: Open and Livestream

Speakers:

• Dr. Magda Robalo, President and co-founder of The Institute for Global Health and Development (IGHD)
• Margareth Ndomondo-Sigonda, Head of Health Program, AUDA-NEPAD
• Patrick Tippoo, Executive Director of the African Vaccine Manufacturing Initiative (AVMI)
• Prof. Claude Mambo Muvunyi, Director General of Rwanda Biomedical Centre
• Dr. David Mukanga, Deputy Director Africa Regulatory Systems at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Neha Agarwal, Global Program Co-Director for PATH Diagnostics

Room: MH3

Session Description: Non-communicable diseases (particularly in the field of oncology) pose a health crisis in sub-Saharan Africa that no company or organization can solve alone. A partnership approach is required to build resilient healthcare systems and sustainable access to medicines. In Kenya, Phase I of a partnership approach to healthcare access (the Blueprint) has now concluded, reporting tangible outcomes that have improved access to healthcare for patients and the scalability of the approach within sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. 

This panel discussion highlights critical learnings from the pilot, including the importance of a diverse set of local partners, integration within the healthcare system, and the importance of an impact framework to guide programme design and measure progress.

Co-hosted by: Takeda and Amref Health Africa 

Type of event: Open and Livestream

Speakers:

• Dr. Jessica Purcell, Early Access to Medicines Lead, Takeda
• Dr. Catharine Kanari, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Lead, AMREF Health Africa
• Dr. Joseph Mucumbitsi, Consultant Pediatrician/Pediatric Cardiologist at Deva Medical Center and Visiting consultant at King Faisal Hospital
• Denis Munene, Program Coordinator and Baseline Survey Project Coordinator for the Blueprint for Innovative Healthcare Access Program at the International Cancer Institute
• Dr. David Muyodi, Community Outreach Head at the International Cancer Institute
• Dr. Titus Isoe Omwenga, County Pharmacist, Meru Country Government

Room: AD11

Type of Event: Closed

Room: AD12

With longstanding and increasing resource challenges for government and public alike, and a growing population with unmet healthcare needs, Africa must embrace the full capacity and opportunities within its health systems to deliver safe, high-quality, affordable healthcare to the population, over 50% of whom currently do not have access to care. 

In many countries, the private sector represents an untapped resource that can help address the quality healthcare access gap through financial instruments to close the financing gap, expert capacities to close the innovation gap and local development and health providers to close the supply gap. Although private sector technology delivery is already playing a significant role across the healthcare value chain, it is often not integrated into the delivery strategy of health systems. 

This session will explore tangible opportunities for countries to leverage private sector capacities for public health goals and strengthen the health system’s response and resilience - building on lessons from ongoing initiatives and highlighting WHO’s work and guidance on the governance of mixed health systems. 

Hosted by: MSD and World Health Organization (WHO)

Type of event: Open and Livestreamed

Speakers:

• Caitlin Dolkart, Managing Director, RESCUE.CO
• Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet, AVP, Health Equity, MSD | Lead, MSD for Mothers
• Bramuel  Mwalo, Founder & CEO Xetova
• Temitayo (Tayo) Erogbogbo, Director, Multilateral Organization Engagement MSD | Global Advocacy Lead, MSD for Mothers
• Dr. Patrick C. Ndimubanzi, Executive Secretary of the Human Resource for Heath Secretariat (HRHS), Government of Rwanda

Room: MH2

Despite the fact that the region represents only 14% of the world’s female population, over one-third of all cervical cancer deaths globally occur in sub-Saharan Africa. The women affected by and who die of this disease are mothers, daughters, workers, partners and contributors, not only in their families but the broader socio-economic fabric of their societies. The sad reality is that this continues to happen even though cervical cancer is a vaccine-preventable disease which is also treatable if detected early enough. Despite some progress, achieving the WHO's Global Strategy for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer by 2030 will require the forging of new partnerships to accelerate our combined individual efforts. This panel will bring together experts to discuss opportunities for achieving the WHO’s cervical elimination targets along the cervical cancer continuum of care, as well as explore the role of partnerships in accelerating work to achieve cervical cancer elimination.

Hosted by: MSD

Type of Event: Open

Speakers:

• Prof. Agnes Binagwaho, Professor and former Vice Chancellor, University of Global Health Equity (UGHE)
• Ida Mbuthia, Medical and Scientific Affairs Lead East and West Africa, Roche
• Benda Kithaka, Executive Director, KILELE Health Association
• Marlene Mumukunde, Project Coordinator-Kigali, City Cancer Challenge Foundation

Room: MH3

Session Description: This panel will focus on building resilient healthcare systems, bringing together perspectives from Africa and beyond. Speakers from Amref, Aidsfonds, Elsevier, Epicentre (MSF), the Government of Rwanda and the University of Nairobi will explore technology-driven solutions implemented in close partnership with local communities – with a focus on sustainability and scalability. The role of public communication of science will also be highlighted as a critical step in building truly resilient health systems. Speakers will share successes and challenges, opening a dialogue and encouraging audience feedback and Q&A on lessons learned and ways forward.

Hosted by: The Elsevier Foundation

Type of event: Open and Livestream

Speakers:

• Yap Boum, Executive Director, Institut Pasteur de Bangui
• Marianne Mureithi, Chair of the Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Nairobi
• Priscilla Ngunju, Projects Coordinator, Amref International University (AMIU)
• Melynda Decker, Director, Clinical Solutions, Elsevier

Room: AD10

Session Description: From the COVID-19 pandemic to the Ebola epidemic, disease outbreaks have stripped countries of their stability and disrupted their path to development. To date, the interplay between security and health has been characterised by a state's ability to detect, prepare for and respond to infectious disease outbreaks. Over the last three years, there has been an increased urgency for countries, especially those in the global south, to strengthen their ability to respond to threats, establish resilient health systems and ultimately, promote peace and security for all. In Africa, there is a growing body of locally owned interventions and strategies that focus on protecting and encouraging recovery for health systems in fragile settings, and an opportunity for the global south to shape the multilateral order to be more inclusive and responsive to their needs. 

This session will offer a much-needed platform to explore how African countries can enhance their health security and establish a balance between autonomy and collaboration through building a relationship of equity and trust between the global north and south.

Co-Hosted by: Amref Health Africa and Chemonics International

Type of Event: Open

Speakers:

• Jackline Kiarie, Regional Manager, Global Health Security Team, Amref Health Africa
• Dr. Ahmed Ogwell, Acting Director, Africa CDC
• Dr. Dah El Hadj Sidi, Technical Director, Global Health Division, Chemonics International
• Ebere Okereke, Senior Technical Adviser, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
• Dr. Ngozi Erondu, Technical Director of GLIDE (Global Institute for Disease Elimination), Co-Chair, O’Neil - Lancet Commission on Racism and Structural Discrimination in Global Health
• Lisa Slater, Head of Public Policy, Africa and African Genomics Program Office Lead, Roche Pharmaceuticals

Room: AD11

In an interconnected world where diseases do not respect national borders, ‘immunization for all’ is a cornerstone of global health security. Every year, at least 12 million children go without routine vaccines putting them at risk of illness or death. In 2019, nearly half the world’s un-vaccinated or under-vaccinated children were in Africa residing largely in communities facing severe social and economic hardship – such as conflict regions, hard-to-reach areas, and urban poor areas. Against a backdrop of an increasing number of outbreaks and “poly-crises,” it has become increasingly clear that in order to improve immunization rates in Africa and effectively deliver a range of essential services, health and humanitarian actors must come together and adjust their approaches to develop effective pathways for immunization and other services that are specifically designed to reach ‘zero-dose’ (ZD) children.

This session will share initial findings from the ongoing study focused on reaching ZD children in Africa as well as advocacy recommendations.  It will also serve as a call to action for political leaders to make a renewed commitment to ensure that all children on the continent – including those hardest to reach –receive life-saving vaccines

Hosted by: Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and Amref Health Africa

Type of Event: Open and Livestream

Speakers

• Leonard Gobah- Director, Global Health Partnerships, Africa, Zipline
• Chioma Nwachukwu, Head, Public Policy Engagement (a.i.), Gavi
• Dr John Oyore, Senior Lecturer, Community Health and Development, School  of Public Health, Kenyatta University
• Dr Sheila Shawa, Senior Technical and Partnership Specialist, Health, Humanitarian Affairs Directorate, African Union Commission
• Dr Landry Dongmo Tsague, UNICEF Senior Health Adviser to the African Union and Economic Commission for Africa
• Ndadilnasiya Endie Waziri, Chair, CSO Steering Committee, Gavi
• Dr. Meseret Zelalem Tadesse, Executive Office Lead in Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Service
• Prossy Muyingo, Community Health Worker, Ministry of Health Uganda, supported by Living Goods

Room: AD12

Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) launched the Collaborative One Health Research Initiative on Epidemics (COHRIE) in 2021. The Initiative supports four projects in nine countries to understand and demonstrate how One Health research on emerging epidemic threats can help protect the health and livelihoods of vulnerable populations, strengthen local food systems, and promote environmental sustainability. A fifth project will coordinate knowledge mobilization efforts across the cohort to facilitate the uptake and use of evidence at national and global levels. 

In this session, we bring together investigators from the three African projects to provide an overview of their work and answer questions from the audience. The research teams from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Uganda will explain the different approaches they are using nationally. The team leading the knowledge mobilization effort will also present their approach to accelerate research results uptake and maximize project impacts.

Co-Hosted by International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and University of Ottawa, Canada

Type of Event: Open and Livestream

Speakers:

• Simon Rüegg, Senior Scientist, University of Zürich
• Julius Julian Lutwama, Assistant Director of Research, Ministry of Health at the Uganda Virus Research Institute
• Rashid Ansumana, Dean of the School of Community Health Sciences, Njala University
• Dr. Sam Oti, Senior Program Specialist, Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
• Aminata Mbaye, Postdoctoral researcher, CERFIG
• Rodrigue Deuboue, Program Coordinator for Health Research Projects, University of Ottawa

Room: Auditorium

The COVID-19 crisis morphed into a full-blown economic and financial crisis during the last few years. While countries recognized the need to be better prepared for the next pandemic, recent challenges - climate change, food and energy prices - have put a strain on African economies and left them exposed to a debt crisis. At the recent UNGA dialogues, heads of state of several African countries called on the global north to provide debt relief and financial stimulus packages to help African countries get back on track to achieving their SDG goals. Following through on these conversations, we recognize that if we are to make meaningful progress on Africa’s health goals, it is imperative that we discuss financing for health within the prevailing socio-economic environment and in relation to the challenges of the next decade. This session will unpack what global solidarity in health financing should look like within the context of prevailing and future challenges, and how the narrative on prioritising health investments must be framed to respond to the pressures facing leaders of countries and multilateral institutions.

Speakers

• Dr. Mercy Mwangangi, Senior Health Systems Strengthening Director, Amref Health Africa
• Agnes Binagwaho, Vice Chancellor, University of Global Health Equity
• Dr. Solange Hakiba, Chief of Party, USAID Rwanda Integrated Health Systems Activity (RIHSA); Co-Chair AHAIC Commissioner
• Anders Tegnell, Epidemiologist and Physician
• Dr. Corine Karema, Interim CEO, RBM Partnership to End Malaria
• Priya Basu, Executive Head, The Pandemic Fund Secretariat
• Maturin Tchoumi, Area Head Africa, Roche Pharmaceuticals
• Gerald Manthalu, Deputy Director of Planning and Policy Development, Ministry of Health, Malawi 

Location: Foyer1A

The health-seeking behaviour of Africa’s people is deeply influenced by the cultural and religious norms of society. Concerted efforts over a period of time have dispelled some harmful practices, however, much more needs to be done. Artists across the continent have played a crucial role in reshaping the meaning of culture: from encouraging people to shun FGM and adopt alternative rites of passage, to destigmatizing conversations around mental health, they empower people with the truth and inspire action. As African communities and leaders come together to rally for the betterment of their people’s health, we have an opportunity to celebrate the power of art, music and storytelling in catalysing social change. 

This session celebrates the role of artists in shaping healthier futures for Africa’s people. Artists, poets, storytellers and musicians will share performances that will honour our shared African culture, inspire audiences, and showcase the transformational power of art in advocacy.

Hosted by: Amref Health Africa

Type of Event: Open

Artists:

• Vanessa Chiksakula, Co-founder and National Coordinator, Word Smash Poetry
• Carlou D, Musical Artist
• Darren Collins, Director for Project HAND UP – Puppetry-based Behavior Change Communication, Akili Network
• Ainembazi Naomi, Artist, Action for Batwa Empowerment Group

Speakers

• Kennedy Ombima (King Kaka), Rapper and Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Activist 7
• Hope Azeda, Founder, Mashirika Performing Arts Media Company
• Sylvia Kokunda, Chief Executive Officer

Moderators:

• Bitania Lulu, Youth Advocacy Advisor, Amref Health Africa (Moderator)

Room: MH3

Accelerating progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) on the continent means ensuring that everyone has access to essential, quality health care, regardless of their ability to pay. While African countries have made progress on the path to UHC, many still have a long way to go, and the COVID-19 pandemic has set countries back on their journey to UHC.

UHC is a triple win: It improves people’s health, reduces poverty, and fuels economic growth. In 2020, the AHAIC Commission on the State of UHC in Africa was established to review the continent’s progress on UHC and provide recommendations to guide the continent towards achieving UHC targets. Subsequently, The UHC Delivery Lab, a regional technical hub hosted by Amref Health Africa, is set to be launched to collaborate with countries on the continent to contextualize the recommendations made in the State of UHC in Africa report, according to the diverse realities of each African country.

Drawing on African experiences, the UHC Delivery Lab will provide practical and contextually relevant insights to policymakers. The lab will also function as a knowledge platform and collaborate with country stakeholders to build a practical understanding of how to strategically implement UHC. Partners will determine if the proposed investments are appropriate, tailor resources to support the implementation of the interventions, and develop support packages which are co-created with the implementing countries. Overall, the lab will play a key role in strengthening health systems across the continent.

The UHC Delivery Lab will officially be launched at AHAIC 2023. This launch will bring together African Ministers of Health, AHAIC commissioners, development partners, civil society and the private sector to spotlight the challenges around UHC in Africa, navigate solutions and celebrate the launch of the UHC Delivery Lab as a resource hub of continent-wide solutions and recommendations to achieve health for all.

Co-Hosted by: Amref Health Africa and SPARC

Type of Event: Open

Speakers

• Dr. Julie Gichuru, Chief Public Affairs and Communications Officer, Mastercard Foundation (Moderator)
• Dr. Shakira Choonara, Technical Specialist, World Health Organization; AHAIC Commissioner
• Dr. Solange Hakiba, Chief of Party, USAID Rwanda Integrated Health Systems Activity (RIHSA); Co-Chair AHAIC Commissioner
• Dr. Rispah Walumbe, Health Policy Advisor, Amref Health Africa
• Oludare Bodunrin, Acting Director, Strategic Purchasing Africa Resource Centre (SPARC)
• Dr. Githinji Gitahi, Group CEO, Amref Health Africa

Room: MH2

The Village is a novel digital platform that uses artificial intelligence to match needs and resources. This innovation will break barriers and borders by connecting researchers, clinicians, students, institutions, philanthropists, publishers, and more. It is a network for creating opportunities, providing mentorship, and accessing untapped potential. The Village will help decolonize global health by empowering communities to create homegrown and innovative solutions by providing access to diverse resources from across the globe. 

This session will include a presentation of The Village and a panel discussion on the contribution of The Village to the future of global health in Africa. Our goal is to engage with the audience to co-create this platform so it can best meet the needs of all and leave no one behind. It will be well worth getting up early! Breakfast is included.

Co-Hosted by: Homegrown Solutions 4 Africa, African Leadership Academy, Institute Pasteur, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Center for African Studies, Elsevier Foundation, Amref Health Africa

Type of Event: Open

Room: AD12

This interactive session will explore opportunities to build responsive Primary Health Care (PHC) systems that meet the needs and preferences of the most under-reached communities, with the aim of influencing the delivery of PHC products and services at scale. During the session, VillageReach and ThinkPlace will seek to understand the definition(s) of responsive PHC systems, your organization's efforts to create such systems, what has been successful and unsuccessful in the design of responsive PHC systems, and the future of responsive PHC systems in light of climate change effects and other important themes.

Participants can expect an engaging and thought-provoking experience, as well as opportunities to network with fellow attendees

Room: MH1

This high-level breakfast session will bring attendees together to explore the overarching theme of AHAIC 2023 — Resilient Health Systems for Africa: Re-envisioning the Future Now. Moderated by Githinji, the platform will encourage a dynamic exchange with delegates, aimed at bringing the pressing health, socio-political and economic issues on the continent to the forefront of global discussions.

Enjoy breakfast, and learn from co-attendees as they discuss inspiring ideas, policies and solutions in shaping Africa’s health agenda.

Hosted by: Amref Health Africa 

Type of Event: Open

Room: Auditorium

Across the world, countries are witnessing the sweeping impact on the health and well-being of populations being caused by climate change. African nations remain particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change despite their negligible contribution to the crisis. However, the issue has not been fully embodied in discussions on health security and health system planning and there has been little action to address the effects that climate change has had on the health of populations in Africa. To prepare for the challenges of the coming decade, it is crucial for African countries to outline and localize the impact of climate change on the health of the African continent and follow through on COP27 resolutions. This session will highlight ways of putting climate change on the health agenda and preparing African countries for the health needs of tomorrow.

Speakers

• Dr. Omnia El Omrani, COP27 President Youth Envoy (Egypt)
• Dr. Kris Murray, Professor Environmental Change and Health; co-Director, Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Dr. Adelheid Onyango, Director, Universal Health Coverage/Healthier Populations Cluster, WHO AFRO
• Prof Akin Abayomi, Lagos State Commissioner for Health
• Modi Mwatsama, Head of Capacity and Field Development, Wellcome Trust
• Cecilia Kinuthia Njenga, Director, Intergovernmental Support and Collective Progress Division, U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC)
• Vanessa Nakate, Youth Climate Activist and Founder of The Rise Up Movement
• Mohammad Abd El Fattah, Undersecretary for Preventive Affairs at Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt
• Faustin Munyazikwiye, the Deputy Director General of the Rwanda Environment Management Authority

Room: MH1

The story of Africa’s response to the pandemic and the mitigation of the impact on TB, HIV, Malaria and other public health programs is that of resilient and responsive community health systems. The Global Fund, African Health programmes and other partners such as Johnson and Johnson have committed significant resources such as the African Frontline First (AFF), Global Fund Grant Cycle 7 in community health services and community systems as part of improving last mile delivery of services. The African continent is considered a leader; however, the practices, scope, scale and reach vary a lot across the different African countries. There is insufficient documentation of the practices, their impacts on health outcomes and the quality of care. Additionally, there are no standardized interventions, models/ approaches that can guide planning and deployment of community services. Moreover, it is necessary that African Countries with support from different donors ensure that community health systems work since their importance cannot be underestimated looking at the role they played in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amref Health Africa in Kenya, in collaboration with the Global Fund, Johnson and Johnson and other partners continue to invest in building responsive community health systems to deliver on the promise of universal health coverage (UHC). This session will bring together community representatives, Ministries of Health, policymakers, implementing partners, the donor community and other stakeholders in community health services to engage and learn from the experiences on how resilient community systems mitigated the impact of Covid-19 on communities.

Co-Hosted by: The Global Fund, Johnson and Johnson, Amref Health Africa, Ministry of Health (Kenya), Ministry of Health (Rwanda), Lwala Community Alliance, Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ), Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade (FDC) – Mozambique, The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) – Uganda, Networking HIV and AIDS Community of Southern Africa (NACOSA), Community Health Units for Universal Health Coverage (CHU4UHC)

Type of Event: Open and Livestream

Speakers:

• Maureen Kimani, Head, Division of Community Health, Ministry of Health, Kenya
• Prof. Dhally M Menda, Director Health Programmes, Churches Health Association of Zambia – CHAZ
• Anthony Gitau, Director Global Community Impact for Sub Sahara Africa, Johnson and Johnson Foundation
• Mohamed Motala, Executive Director, Networking HIV and AIDS Community of Southern Africa (NACOSA)
• Maureen Wauda, Community Health Worker, Ministry of Health, Kenya
• Ms. Marijke Wijnroks, Head, Strategic Investment and Impact Division, (SIID), Global Fund
• Dr. Miya Yunus, Program and Capacity Development Head, The AIDS Support Orgnaisation (TASO)

Room: MH2

Type: Closed

Room: MH3

This session will showcase how partners can leverage technology to drive impact in global health, and how multi-sector partnerships can achieve more than individual organisations alone. Innovative approaches are required to help support access to quality healthcare for the lowest-income communities, and in an ever-evolving digital world, technology can play a role in addressing this. The panel will discuss how technology can be used to address challenges such as the health worker shortage, which is estimated to reach 6 million across Africa by 2030. GSK will showcase how they convened two strategic partners - Amref Health Africa in Global Health and Cognizant a key tech partner - to co-design and develop a tech solution to integrate digital health tools, in order to support a better and wider reach of health worker training.

The aim of the session is to highlight the value of innovative partnerships, how these are convened, share successes and learnings, and open a dialogue to encourage the audience to explore how this can be replicated elsewhere. How can your expertise or that of your partners’ help solve global health challenges in an innovative way?

Co-Hosted by: Amref Health Africa, Cognizant and GSK

Type of Event: Open and Livestream

Speakers:

• Moderator: Dr Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Chief Digital Advisor, Africa CDC
• Peace Iraguha Ndoli, Co-founder and COO, Lifesten Health
• Daryl Burnaby, Director, Global Health, GSK
• Sathish Kumar Manickam, Regional Practice Head Resilience & Reliability Engineering, Cognizant
• Caroline Mbindyo, CEO, Amref Health Innovations
• Andrew Kashoka, Director of ICT, Ministry of Health, Zambia

Room: MH4

Amidst persistent climate shocks such as drought and flooding, more children and pregnant and breastfeeding women are facing malnutrition. Health systems across much of sub-Saharan Africa continue to be under-resourced and understaffed, presenting a challenge to the delivery of quality healthcare services. A community-centred approach can expand access to essential health and nutrition services while strengthening health systems. Preventive and health education support such as immunization and hygiene promotion improve health outcomes and encourage positive and sustainable health behaviours. 

Action Against Hunger aims to strengthen the ability of the most vulnerable communities to respond to crises and become more resilient through the expansion of basic health services, livelihoods, and employment. This session will explore the ways in which we are providing community-based health services, implementing strategies for water and soil conservation, encouraging reforestation and agroforestry, and managing natural resources by creating activities to safeguard and restore the productivity of environmentally fragile areas. 

Hosted by: Action Against Hunger

Type of Event: Open

Speakers:

• Oscar Cordon, Director of Technical Services and Innovation, Action Against Hunger
• Dr. Mohamed Sheikh Omar Mohamud, Head of Health & Nutrition Department, Somalia

Room: AD10

Session Description: Despite Africa shouldering close to 23% of the global disease burden, only 2% of scientific and public health research comes from the continent. Limited investments and inadequate research infrastructure have translated into a dearth of contextualised solutions for health issues in Africa. However, African researchers are increasingly being recognised for their contributions to addressing the world’s greatest health challenges. If we are to solve the world’s health challenges, African researchers must be better integrated into the global research and development (R&D) ecosystem. And while capacity varies across countries, improved research outputs can be achieved if higher education and research institutions are better equipped with the necessary infrastructure. 

This session will discuss how a supportive environment can help talent on the continent to thrive and contribute meaningfully to Africa’s – and the world’s – health agenda.

Hosted by: Amref Health Africa

Type of Event: Open

Speakers

• Shingai Grace Machingaidze, Senior Science Officer in the Office of the Director, Africa CDC
• Dr. Alice Lakati, Amref International University
• Ngozi Erondu, Technical Director of GLIDE (Global Institute for Disease Elimination)
• O’Neil - Lancet Commission on Racism and Structural Discrimination in Global Health
• Ina Skosana, Health and Medical Editor, The Conversation Africa
• Zoe Mullan, Editor-in-Chief, Lancet Global Health
• Frank Kagoro, Africa Regional Manager, The Global Health Network, University of Oxford

Room: AD11

People living with HIV/AIDS are at greater risk of being infected with COVID 19, due to a range of factors, including co-morbidities. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted societies and health systems globally, directly impacting hundreds of millions of individuals. Fortunately, HIV/AIDS platforms established by different development partners have offered an important set of resources to support the COVID-19 response, including strategic information systems, supply chain management systems, laboratory testing capacity, facilities for clinical service delivery, trained health workers, and community outreach programs. This session sheds light on how COVID-19 has shifted work in tackling one major existing and overlapping pandemics – HIV/AIDS. We share experiences and learnings on how decentralization and integrated services have helped Tanzania turn the curve in COVID-19 response after the first year of radical, unconventional and unorthodox approach in the pandemic response which set the country out of the rest of the world

Co-Hosted by: Amref Health Africa (Tanzania), Delloite Tanzania, Jhpiego, Management Development for Health

Type of Event: Open

Speakers:

• Dr. Frida Ngalesoni, Director MERL Amref Tanzania
• Dr. Florence Temu, Country Director, Amref Tanzania
• Dr. Goodluck Tesha,Technical Director – GHS, Jhpiego Tanzania
• Dr. Aisa Muya, Director of Programs, Amref Tanzania
• Ms. Elizabeth Ndakidemi, Technical Director, TAYOA

Room: AD12

This panel will explore the importance of data in public health through the lens of availability,  accessibility, synthesis, and use in public health in Africa. The panel will also examine the ecosystem  around public health data and how it can be facilitative or disruptive to the use of public health data, by delving into the public health data assets, data sources, and other initiatives that exist, such as health information exchanges, networks, and communities of practice. Panellists will discuss strategies for adding value to public health data, incentivizing data collection and accuracy, making data accessible, and  overcoming barriers to data access and use as well as provide recommendations on how to build and  strengthen an ecosystem that enables the collection, management, sharing, and use of public health data

Co-Hosted by:  Africa CDC  & The Rockefeller Foundation

Type of event: Open & Livestream

Speakers: 

• Dr. Justin Maeda – Ag. Head of Division, Management and Administration and Principal RCCs 
  Coordinator – Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
• Dr. Magda Robalo – President and co-founder – The Institute for Global Health and Development
• Dr. Richard Kabanda – Ag. Commissioner Health Services in charge of Health Promotion, Education 
  and Health Communication – Ministry of Health Uganda.
• Jackline Kiarie – Regional Programme Manager, Global Health Security – Amref Health Africa

Room: MH1

To raise awareness and galvanise action towards a global health data governance framework, Transform Health recently launched a mobilisation campaign dubbed, “My Data Our Health”. This campaign aims to raise the public and political profile of the issue of health data to ensure greater understanding and ultimately more effective governance and regulation.  Anchored on this campaign, Transform Health will convene a high-level event at AHAIC 2023 to discuss the need for a common set of standards on health data governance, and to generate political will and action on this issue. 

During this event, we will highlight the lived experiences of youth, women and other marginalised communities and engage them in dialogue with high-level decision-makers on the issue of control and use of personal health data. The event creates an important platform for these key populations to voice their concerns on how their health data is managed and what action they would like to see their governments take in that respect. This will be followed by a government response panel focused on opportunities and actions towards stronger health data governance regulation.

Co-Hosted by: Transform Health, Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium (KANCO), Young Experts: #Tech4Health (YET4H)

Type of Event: Open and Livestream

Speakers:

• Beatrice Okech, Advocacy and Campaigns Manager, Transform Health
• Malyun Ibrahim Mohamed, : Program Manager, NivalishePad Initiative
• Caroline Mbindyo, CEO, Amref Health Innovations
• Spéro Falade, Technology, Innovation, and Prospection Lead, OneWorld Benin
• Pape Gaye, Founder & President, Baobab Institute for Health and Development
• Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Chief Digital Health Advisor, Africa CDC
• Allan Ragi, Executive Director, Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium
• Tom Oluoch, Former President

Room: MH2

This session will explore existing youth-led and youth-focused partnerships – what has worked and what hasn’t – as well as the value of engaging new and unconventional partners to empower Africa’s youth. The session will reimagine the kind of partnerships required to elevate youth leadership to address the challenges of today and tomorrow, and discuss ways that existing partnerships can adapt to the aspirations of young people to be game-changers in emerging health, social and economic issues. The session will feature a fireside chat with youth advocates sharing winning models for youth-led policy advocacy and meaningful youth engagement, as well as a panel discussion with leaders from different sectors discussing best practices and lessons learned from successful multi-sectoral approaches for youth programs in global health and beyond.

Co-Hosted by: Pfizer, Youth in Action (Y-ACT), Amref Health Africa (USA), PMNCH, Amref Health Africa (Ethiopia)

Type of Event: Open and Livestream

Speakers:

• Johnson Akai, National Coordinator, Kenya, Sauti Skika
• Bitania Lulu Berhanu, Programme Director, Youth in Action (Y-ACT), Amref Health Africa
• Maziko Matemvu, Vice Chair for Partner Engagement, PMNCH - Adolescents and Youth Constituency
• Dr. Chrys Promesse Kaniki, Senior Technical Officer for Strategic Programmes, Africa CDC
• Dr. Landry Tsague, Senior Health Advisor, UNICEF liason office to AU and ECA

Room: MH3

African health tech has seen impressive growth. Across the continent, homegrown innovations are changing the healthcare landscape - narrowing access gaps and showcasing Africa’s massive potential to lead health innovation. 

To maintain this upward trajectory, attract further investment and position the continent as an innovation powerhouse, African governments must create an ecosystem that supports innovation, nurtures and retains talent, and collaborates with partners. In tandem, innovators must focus on affordable, scalable solutions that meet the needs of the communities they intend to serve.

This session will bring together experts who contributed to the FutureProofing Healthcare initiative’s Africa Sustainability Index, a policy tool that measures the status of health systems across the continent. FutureProofing Healthcare was created to drive conversation and action toward sustainable, digitised and personalised health systems and this panel discussion will celebrate the continent’s progress and map the financial, political and socio-economic conditions needed for Africa to make significant contributions to global health innovation.

Hosted by: Roche Diagnostics

Type of Event: Open and Livestream

Speakers:

• Lolem Ngong, Chief of Staff, Amref Health Africa
• HE. Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, Chief Executive Officer, Medicaid Cancer Foundation
• Saber Boutayeb, Professor of Medical Oncology, University of Rabat, Morocco
• Seth Akumani, Head of Exploration, UNDP Ghana

Room: MH4

In Africa, Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) form the backbone for emergency response in communities, including surveillance, RCCE & sustenance of essential services. However, the continent depends on CHV schemes designed in the yesteryears. The landscape has changed greatly, altering the role, structure and nature of volunteers fit for today’s health system. To support governments and partners to design and deliver volunteer programs fit for purpose, volunteer organizations across the globe have come together to develop the “Global Standards for Volunteering.” 

During this session, participants will learn about these global standards and how they can help in designing volunteer policies capable of responding to health disasters impactfully and responsibly. To contextualize the standards conversation, panel members will reflect on country experiences with CHV policies, research findings on CHV workloads and bottlenecks faced by CHVs. New ideas of reimagining volunteers in the health system will be generated to allow “building a Volunteer System fit for disaster response and preparedness.”

Hosted by: Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO)

Type of Event: Open 

Speakers:

• Polly Walker, Global Technical Lead - Health, VSO
• Abdulaziz Mohammed, Head of Division, Disease control and Prevention, Africa CDC
• Maureen Kimani, Head, Division of Community Health, Ministry of Health, Kenya
• Carolyne Faith Wanyonyi, CHW Engagement Lead, Community Health Impact Coalition
• Mwangi Waituru, Policy Advisor and VSO Rep to the AU, VSO International

Room: AD10

Session Description:  Primary healthcare (PHC) is an important focal point in the pursuit of universal health coverage. A key determinant of the performance of PHC systems is the mechanisms used to finance their operations. The reliability and adequacy of funds may influence achievement of financial risk protection as well as improved quality of care, both of which impact health outcomes within populations. Under-resourced healthcare facilities are likely to deliver poor quality services and outcomes of care. Resource allocation mechanisms for PHC resources may influence the efficiency and equity of their operations, as well as affect the quality of services provided. In addition, the efficiency of their disbursements, and the autonomy healthcare facilities have over their finances, may influence the operational efficiencies of healthcare facilities. 

This session will focus on how different countries are working to ensure availability of reliable funding for PHC and the role of various actors, including donors, in enhancing accountability and efficiency in the utilization of resources.

Hosted by: Amref Health Africa, Clinton Health Access Initiative and SPARC 

Type of Event: Open

Speakers

• Dr Matiko Riro, Associate Director, Health Financing at Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI)
• Oludare Bodunrin, Acting Director, SPARC
• Dr Parfait Uwaliraye, Head of Planning, M&E and Health Financing Department
• June Musau, Country Engagement and Support Coordinator, Financing Alliance for Health
• Gerald Manthalu, Deputy Director of Planning and Policy Development, Ministry of Health, Malawi

Room: AD11

UAE’s Office for the Special Envoy for Climate Change have identified health as a priority for COP28.

With climate and health one of the main themes at AHAIC 2023, there is an opportunity to socialise, and consult on, the proposed themes and outcomes with the wider climate and health community, including African Government Ministers, civil society, funders and other experts in climate and health. 

Using a closed roundtable format, this session will create space for an in-depth discussion around the proposed themes and outcomes for COP28, to better understand priorities for climate and health across Africa. It will also provide an opportunity to build and mobilise networks to help build momentum for action on climate and health in the run-up to COP28. 

Objectives:

●       Socialise and consult on the proposed COP28 Health themes and outcomes with African Climate and Health (C&H) Leaders

●       Mobilise key stakeholders ahead of COP28 to engage in a COP28 Health Day and build momentum for action on climate and health in the run up to COP28

Co-Hosted by: Wellcome Trust, UAE Office of the Special Envoy for Climate Change, Amref Health Africa, World Health Organization (WHO)

 Type of Event: Closed

Room: AD12

Ebola Virus Disease is a significant public health problem in Africa. Major strides were made by combined efforts of the private and public sectors to develop and obtain licensure for Ebola vaccines and make them available for Ebola control and prevention. Since 2021, progress has been made in the development of a global Ebola vaccine stockpile. The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) recommends the use of the two available Ebola Zaire vaccines in outbreak and preventive contexts. Yet, the stockpile is targeted for outbreak response and country regulatory approvals have been limited. There has been little progress towards preventive Ebola vaccination, including protecting some of our most important health and economic resources – healthcare and frontline workers.

In this session, we bring together two key components for accelerating preventive Ebola vaccination for healthcare and frontline workers – a regulatory framework and evidence base for programmatic introduction.

Co-hosted by: Johnson & Johnson and Amref Health Africa

Type of Event: Hybrid

Speakers:

• Carlos Castillejos, VP External Affairs Science & Medicine, Johnson and Johnson
• Diadie Maiga, Regional Vaccine Regulatory Officer at the African Regional Office, World Health Organization, World Health Organization
• Alejandro Costa, Scientist, Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs) Health Emergency Program (WHE) World Health Organization (WHO), World Health Organization
• Alejandro Cravioto, Consultant, Independent
• Jackline Kiarie, Regional Programme Manager, Amref Health Africa
• Caitlin Cossaboom, LCDR, U.S. Public Health Service Veterinary Epidemiologist, US Centres for Disease Control (CDC)
• Reena Doshi, Epidemiologist, Global Immunization Division, US Centres for Disease Control

Room: Auditorium

While the entire world suffered through the COVID-19 pandemic, indisputably healthcare workers were hit the hardest. Barely out of the pandemic, governments are under pressure to manage climate change, conflict, food insecurity - all of which are overstretching our health systems, exacerbating the shortage of medical personnel, and exposing healthcare workers to very real physical dangers. For instance, around 40 per cent of un- and under-vaccinated children live in countries that are either partially or entirely affected by conflict – which requires healthcare workers to be deployed increasingly in difficult terrains. With the demands on health care workers (HCWs) expected to intensify over the next decade, countries must anticipate their evolving needs, replace siloed approaches with cross-sectoral partnerships, and find ways to protect, train, equip and retain health workers. This session will discuss the unexplored investments that countries and multilaterals need to make in HCWs, the cross-sectoral partnerships that will need to be forged and the diplomacy needed to protect health care workers.

Speakers

• Lwazi Manzi, Head of Secretariat, AU Commission on Africa COVID-19 Response
• Dr. Abdou Salam Gueye, Regional Emergency Director, WHO AFRO
• Sharon Simpile Munyenyembe, Chilenje Health Facility, Zambia
• Mangwi Justine, Midwife Maridi Hospital, South Sudan
• Dr. Mohammed Abdulaziz, Head of Disease Control and Prevention Division, Africa CDC
• Flavia Sekunbuge, Specialist in Public Health Medicine, University of Pretoria
• Dr. Carlos Castillejos, Global Head - Medical and Scientific Affairs, Johnson and Johnson Global Public Health
• Dr. Esperance Luvindao, Health Advocate, Forbes 30 under 30 

Location: Foyer1A

The climate crisis and the threat it poses to human health, erodes hope in many people and injects despair into the future of the continent. Despite the looming climate change crisis, only Africa’s people can decide how to put human health at the centre of the climate agenda and move forward. We believe we have what it takes to not only dream, but to act on an agenda which aims to improve both climate and human health. 

Within the ambit of climate justice, this session will recognise and award climate innovators and encourage civic discourse which enables speakers and audience members alike to share in the optimistic hope of a healthier Africa.

Hosted by: Amref Health Africa

Type of Event: Open 

Speakers

• Janet Mbugua, Founder Inua Dada Foundation and Media Personality
• Vanam Prabhakar, Chief Executive Officer, Kenya Climate Innovation Centre
• Camilla Knox-Peebles, Chief Executive Officer, Amref Health Africa
• Berias Unyolo, Mundawathu Gardens (Malawi)
• Evelyn Karokora, Z&K Business Enterprises (Uganda)
• Pike Kwizera, Hya Bio Plastics Company (Uganda)
• Bradley Mbagaya, Auto Truck East Africa Ltd (Kenya) 
• Daniel Kobei, Founder and Executive Director of Ogiek Peoples' Development Program (OPDP)

Room: MH4

Room: MH2

Taking place on International Women’s Day, this breakfast session will bring together women, gender minorities and male allies to tackle a diversity of issues relating to gender equality and health. With AHAIC 2023 spotlighting issues that define the next decade – health security, climate action and conflict – this session will bring gender equality and health equity to the forefront with a special focus on the voices of African women.

Moderated by Dr Lwazi Manzi, the platform offers a cross-sectoral exchange that will inspire, educate and empower attendees. Grab some coffee, put on your thinking hat and join us for an invigorating conversation!

Room: Auditorium

“Go to the people. Live with them. Learn from them. Love them. Start with what they know. Build with what they have. But with the best leaders, when the work is done, the task accomplished, the people will say ‘we have done this ourselves’.”– Lao Tzu.

Good health is a function of access to health care systems as well as the choices made by individuals. The role of communities and individuals in addressing the social determinants of health is increasingly being recognised as a crucial lever in having healthy people. For instance, diabetes, one of the growing health concerns on the continent, isn’t curable but requires individuals to adopt healthy habits such as exercising and diet control. Similarly, several diseases such as tuberculosis require high nutritional intake however doctors don’t dish out food prescriptions. Mental health, sexual health and reproductive health – all of these are vastly influenced by social and cultural norms, which communities can help change. Unfortunately, the health care system in countries is restricted to providing medical services that are geared toward curing and managing health conditions and lack the capacity and design to prevent health conditions or encourage adoption of healthy behaviours. This session will discuss innovative ways in which communities can take on non-medical roles that can significantly impact the health quotient of populations.

Speakers

• Vania Kibui, Regional Policy Advocacy & Capacity Strengthening Specialist – Youth & Adolescent Hub, Amref Health Africa
• Ndadilnasiya Endie Waziri, Chair, CSO Steering Committee, Gavi CSO Steering Committee
• Dr. Sheila Nyawira Macharia, Managing Director, FP 2030 East and Southern Africa Regional Hub
• Moses Mulumba, Director General, Afya na Haki (Ahaki)
• Aloyce Urassa, Chairperson, ALMA Youth Advisory Council
• Aika Matemu, Partner, Dalberg Design
• Dr. Githinji Gitahi, Group CEO, Amref Health Africa
• Dona Anyona, Regional Policy and Advocacy Advisor, Amref Health Africa

Room: MH1

This session will give participants a definition/introduction to integrated programming, and provide detailed and recent examples of integration, considering both health systems integration and intersectoral integration, to prompt rich discussion on opportunities for inclusion of NTD activities and programmes into Africa’s health systems as we look towards 2030. Five panellists will provide examples of successful integration and point out where more can be done along the five pillars of health system strengthening. The goal is to educate the audience about NTDs and highlight examples and opportunities of where and how NTDs can be integrated into the health system, provide evidence-based information, and demonstrate that a multi-sectoral approach is key to achieving successful integration.

Hosted by: The END Fund

Type of Event: Open

Speakers:

• Abdulaziz Mohammed, Head of Division, Disease control and Prevention, Africa CDC
• Chloe Rothman, Director of International Programming and Strategy, Shooting Touch
• Venuste Nzamwita, Community Health Worker, Gihigano Village, Community Health Worker
• Aimable Mbituyumuremyi, Division Manager of Malaria and other Parasitic Diseases, Rwanda Biomedical Centre
• Carol Karutu, Vice President, Programs, The END Fund
• Stuart Halford Director of Resource Mobilisation and Advocacy, Uniting to Combat NTDs 
•  Hon. Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, Minister of Health of Rwanda 

Room: MH2

Room: MH3

One out of two people globally do not have access to essential healthcare. Africa needs resilient systems for health that leverage technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship to scale access to care. While African innovators are solving long-standing challenges and saving lives  entrepreneurs, particularly women, often face barriers to funding that prevent them from innovating and delivering lifesaving solutions. Even though female-led businesses deliver 35% higher returns, less than 2% of venture capital investments globally go to women-led enterprises. This needs to change. 

This commemorative International Women’s Day session will be marked by the launch of the WiN FUND and coincides with the public mint of the Win Africa NFT (digital art) collection designed by Rwandan artist, Christella Bijou. All proceeds of Win Fund NFT and philanthropic capital will go to supporting women health entrepreneurs across 7 African countries. 

The session will convene female innovators, investors, the private sector, and the artist* to highlight the need for new models of financing for SDG3 and the crucial role of grassroots innovation in close the innovation financing gap for women.

Co-Hosted by: Reckitt and Health Innovation and Investment Exchange (HIEx)

Type of Event: Open and Livestream

Speakers:

• Pradeep Kakkattil, Founder & CEO of HIEx
• Hamzah Sarwar, Director of Social Impact & Partnerships at Reckitt
• Masibonge Mkhize (Masi), Head of Corporate Communications, External Affairs and Partnerships, South Africa at Reckitt
• Umra Omar, Founder of Safari Doctors
• Dr. Mercy Ashaba, Co-Founder and CEO of Peleyta Health

Room: MH4

What does it take to generate accurate and nuanced media coverage of COVID-19, HIV, cholera and other critical science and health issues? How do we support media coverage that explains and links climate change and health? One key component is a cadre of competent science journalists who know how to find the right experts with the answers. 

Media Science Cafés are robust meeting spaces for journalists to interact with researchers, implementers, policymakers and civil society to help ensure accurate and nuanced media coverage of key health and science stories. Join Media Science Café Conveners and journalists from East and Southern Africa to learn critical lessons for ensuring media practitioners are able to accurately provide the information citizens most need to know about outbreaks, pandemics and the emerging science and health issues of our time. 

Co-Hosted by: AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC), Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture in Kenya (MESHA), Journalists Association Against AIDS (JournAIDS) Malawi, Health Journalists Network in Uganda (HEJNU), Media Science Cafe (MESICA) Zambia, and Health Communicators Forum (HCF) Zimbabwe

Type of Event: Open

Speakers:

• Dingaan Mithi, Programme Manager Journalists Association Against AIDS
• Anna Miti, Chairperson, Health Communicators Forum of Zimbabwe
• Esther Nakkazi, Journalist, Freelance journalist
• Zarina Geloo, Co ordinator, Mesica
• Joyce Chimbi, Journalist, Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture
• Michael Gwarisa, Editor, HealthTimes
• Godfrey Ombogo, Editor, MESHA

Room: AD10

Session Description: Primary Health Care (PHC) is the first point of contact that people have with the healthcare system. The stability of this system is anchored in health workers, who are often unsupported, undervalued, and underpaid. The inability to meet their basic needs has put Africa at risk of a 6.1 million shortfall of health workers by 2030, driven by lack of adequate training, staffing and pay, in addition to the negative effects of an overstretched health system, all of which exacerbate the risk of health workers leaving the workforce.

This session will bring together health workers, government representatives, thought leaders and activists to discuss ways to better recruit, train and retain talent on the continent.

Hosted by: Amref Health Africa

Type of Event: Open

Speakers

• Dr. Zolelwa Sifumba, Global Fund Advocate and Health Activist, MDR-TB Survivor
• Dr. Joseph Lelo, Medical Director, Amref Flying Doctors
• Prossy Muyingo, Community Health Worker, Uganda 
• Dr. Patrick Ndimubanzi, Executive Secretary of the Human Resources for Health Secretariat, Ministry of Health, Rwanda
• Michelle McIsaac, Economist, Health Workforce Department, WHO
• Dr. Bonaventure Ahaisibwe, Managing Director of Impact and Innovation, SEED Global
• Dr. Norah Akong'o Obudho, East Africa Director, WomenLift Health
• Zwelethu Bashman, Managing Director, MSD South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa
• Dr. Victoria Anib, Undersecretary, Ministry of Health, South Sudan
• Dr. George Kimathi, Director, Institute of Capacity Development, Amref Health Africa

Room: AD12

Francophone and Lusophone countries in sub-Saharan Africa are drastically underrepresented on international platforms. We cannot heighten the focus on Africa without voices from these countries being heard. 

This session will explore how countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burkina Faso, and Mozambique are addressing the integration of sexual and reproductive health services into their countries’ Universal Health Coverage (UHC) plans to meet the health needs of women, youth, and underserved communities. It provides an opportunity for civil society, governments, global partners, and donors to discuss how they are working together to advance UHC through environmental, political, and financial challenges.

Co-Hosted by: Pathfinder International and Amref Health Africa

Type of Event: Open & Livestream

Room: Foyer1A

Africa has seen several positive developments in sexual and reproductive health in recent years. Despite this, vulnerable and marginalized groups still struggle to be included in health systems and that often impose sexism, stigma, taboos and even shame on them. Conversations on SRHR remain a highly politicized topic, with state, religion, culture and society often at odds with each other, making many crucial conversations off-limits. Without universal access to SRHR, the development of progressive healthcare that caters to the needs of all people, regardless of their gender, sex or sexuality, will happen at too slow a pace. 

To lift the veil on SRHR, this discussion will bring diverse stakeholders – from religious leaders to activists – to understand and speak openly about diversity, sexual health and women’s rights. The session will encourage stakeholders to push the boundaries on stigmatized conversations, chart common ground and come closer to a unified call for inclusive SRHR. 

Hosted by: Amref Health Africa

Type of Event: Open

Speakers

• Vania Kibui, Regional Policy Advocacy & Capacity Strengthening Specialist, Amref Health Africa
• Rumbidzai Chisenga, Director of Programs at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development (EJS Center)
• Dr. Norah Akong'o Obudho, East Africa Director, WomenLift Health
• Onesmus Kalama, Acting Executive Director, EANNASO

Room: MH1

Africa’s Heads of State recognise that technology is key to accelerating the continent’s economic development as embodied in the African Union (AU)’s Agenda 2063. The AU High-Level Panel on Emerging Technologies (APET) has prioritized several transformative technologies with potential to change the trajectory of disease and general well-being if successfully developed, tested, and/or effectively deployed. However, some challenges hinder Africa’s progress in developing, testing, and/or deploying transformative technologies, including: weak/inadequate policy and legal framework; a wariness in adopting some of technologies partly because of inadequate understanding that consequently reduces the public’s and policymakers’ buy-in; low local capacities in these technologies; and inadequate investments by governments in research and innovation. This session will discuss some of the priority health technologies, including gene drives and monoclonal antibodies for malaria control, and use of drones and microgrids in health. It will also propose ways of tackling barriers to their development, testing, and/or deployment.

Hosted by: African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) through the Platform for Dialogue and Action on Emerging Health Technologies in Africa (Health Tech Platform).

Type of event: Open

Speakers

• Dr Rose Oronje, Director of Public Policy & Knowledge Translation, and Head of Kenya Office, African Institute for Development Policy
• Dr. Said Jongo, Consultant Physician and Clinical Epidemiologist, Interventions  and Clinical Trials Department, Ifakara Health Institute (IHI)
• Leka Tingitana, Director, Tanzania Flying Labs
• Dr. Collins Kalwale Mweresa, Senior Lecturer of Medical Entomology and Applied Parasitology, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST)
• Professor Richard Mukabana, Project Director of the Platform for Dialogue and Action on Health Technologies in Africa (Health Tech Platform), African Institute for Development Policy

Room: MH3

Session Description: Climate-related health emergencies are on the rise in Africa, with more than half of the health events in the African region linked to climate change over the last 20 years. This is further deepening health crises on a continent that is neither prepared nor equipped to handle widespread biodiversity loss, flooding, water insecurity, drought, reduced crop productivity and higher risk of disease outbreaks including tuberculosis, malaria, cholera, and cardiovascular and diarrhoeal diseases – all of which are expected to get worse as weather conditions become more extreme. To prevent the impending battle for survival that will be exacerbated by climate-driven social, economic and health inequalities, we need large-scale collaboration steered by bold, inclusive leadership. An empowered movement of African youth will be central to this collaboration, as youth stand to bear the brunt of climate inaction. 

This session will feature an energetic discussion on the role of youth in changing the trajectory of Africa’s health and development in an increasingly hotter world that can no longer afford to ignore the realities of the climate crisis. During this session, we will seek to draw lessons from today’s lived experiences to avert future catastrophes. We will also explore what climate change adaptation and mitigation could look like for Africa, and how this could influence the global response to the climate crisis.

Hosted by: Amref Health Africa

Type of Event: Open and Livestream

Speakers:

• Adelaide Lusambili, Climate Health Maternal and Neonatal Health Africa (CHAMNHA) Kenya Lead and Associate Professor at Africa International University
• Dr. Victoria Anib, Undersecretary, Ministry of Health, South Sudan Victoria Anib, Undersecretary Honourable Elizabeth Achuei Yol, Health Minister, Ministry of Health
• Dr. Omnia El Omrani, Youth Envoy, COP27 Presidency (Egypt)
• Sarbani Bhattacharya, Chair, Supervisory Board, Finish Mondial
• Adenike Titlope, Climate Change Activist
• Marie-Claude Mbuyi, Country Director, Democratic Republic of Congo, Pathfinder 

Room: MH4

Session Description: Although national health strategies for many African countries incorporate UHC policies, translating these policies into action has been slow. To date, less than five African countries have achieved the Abuja declaration target to allocate 15 percent of public expenditure to health, and fewer still have been able to do so consistently. Further, African countries struggle to provide quality and affordable primary healthcare as healthcare workers are insufficient and most drugs, vaccines and diagnostics are manufactured outside the continent. As African countries build back from COVID-19, there’s a renewed appetite to design primary health care systems that can manage the next crisis as well as recognition that global north-south relations must support African governments in their path to implementation.

In preparation for the 2023 UN High-Level Meeting on UHC taking place at the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 78), this session will bring together policymakers and implementers to discuss the support needed by countries to forge their UHC path and articulate Africa’s shared asks at global policy forums through the year.

Hosted by: Amref Health Africa

Type of Event: Open

Speakers:

• Dr. Rispah Walumbe, Senior Health Policy Advisor, Amref Health Africa
• Dr. Magda Robalo Correia e Silva, President and Co-Founder, Institute for Global Health and Development
• Dr. Oyewale Tomori, Professor of Virology, Redeemer’s University
• Dr. Adelheid Onyango, Director, Universal Health Coverage/Healthier Populations Cluster, WHO AFRO
• Russell Rensburg, Director, Rural Health Advocay Project
• Dr. Karim Bendhaou, Head of Africa Bureau at Merck and chair of African Engagement Committee at IFPMA
• Dr Florence Sibomana, Senior Program Officer on NCDs, PATH

Room: AD10

To effectively deal with health crises, countries must be able to connect with the public to share evidence-based information and clear guidelines on health response measures. As such, the continent needs to strengthen its ability to convey life-saving information to reach and positively engage African populations. Trust in public health is influenced by multiple factors, including trust in government and authorities, trust in science, competence and reliability of public health institutions and health systems, failure to serve certain population groups, and transparency and coherence of health information and communication.  While Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) frameworks have been put in place across the continent, these need to be continually strengthened to stay relevant and impactful in a rapidly changing world. To battle misinformation around public health messaging, it is important to infuse creativity, transparency and empathy into evidence-based communications. Recognizing the need for immediate action towards building trust, Duke University and the Rockefeller Foundation coordinated a cross-sectoral experts convening at Bellagio in December 2022 to design and prepare a new initiative that builds trust in public health, with an initial focus on the US, Europe, and Africa. The Bellagio convening was organized to consider the evidence for declining trust and develop and prioritize potential actions, initiatives, and collaborations to halt the decline and enhance trust. There is a need to initiate context-specific dialogue and research to understand public trust on the continent and tailor interventions to restore trust in public health, building on the actions from the Bellagio convening.

Speakers:

• Dr. Rhoda Wanyenze, Dean, Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH)
• Elina Urli Hodges, Assistant Director, Programs for the Global Health Innovation Center and Innovations in Healthcare, Duke University
• Akhona Tshangela, Programme Coordinator, Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM) 
• Pape Gaye, Co-Chair, Transform Health 
• Mavuto Thomas, Health Education Services Ministry of Health, Chairperson of the Community of Practice for Risk Communication and Community Engagement for Africa 
• Dr. Richard Kabanda, Vice – Chairperson, Community of Practice for Risk Communication and Community Engagement for Africa 
• Julien Niyingabira, Division Manager, Rwanda Health Communication Center
• Connie Shumba, Lead, Health Projects and Planning, Mastercard Foundation
• Yemi Belay, Communications Officer, CIRHT
• Dr. Jessica Oyugi, Associate Director, Dalberg Implement 
• Dr Francis Omaswa, Director, African Centre for Global Health and Social Transformation

Room: AD12

Beyond the use of reliance procedures in public health emergencies, the principle of regulatory reliance has been demonstrated as an important mechanism to strengthen regulatory capacity, make health systems more resilient, increase the availability of medicinal products, save financial resources, and use human resources more strategically. 

This session will explore regulatory reliance as the foundation on which the African Medicines Agency will operate, and how it is leading to increased regulatory harmonization across Africa. How does regulatory reliance work in practice? How can its implementation accelerate access to medicines for patients? These are the questions the session will seek to answer, using examples of successful regulatory reliance initiatives at the national, regional, and continental levels. The session will also serve to build capacities in regulatory science amongst patient groups, community workers, CSOs, and grassroots health NGOs in Africa.

Hosted by: International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA)

Type of Event: Open and Hybrid

Speakers:

•  Dr. George Kimathi, Director, Institute of Capacity Development, Amref Health Africa
• Greg Perry, Assistant Director General, International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA)
• Asmaa Fouad, General Manager of the Biological Products Egypt Drug Administration
• Jacqueline Acquah, Associate Director, Regulatory Affairs- EMEA GPH Liaison (Vaccines Programme) Johnson & Johnson Middle East, IFPMA
• Chimwemwe Chamdimba, Head of Health Programme at the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), AUDA NEPAD
• Dr. Gabriela Zenhäusern, Stakeholder Engagement Division at Swissmedic

Room:  Auditorium

In a world where backsliding on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) is threatening our collective health and wellbeing, bold and honest conversations can go a long way in protecting the health, safety and livelihoods of women and gender minorities. While several SRHR-forward dialogues have taken place at global policy forums, in Africa, these conversations continue to be shrouded in stigma and silence. The barriers that women and minorities face in accessing their health rights are not always medical in nature, but are often influenced by social, cultural, economic and political determinants that require concerted collaboration across sectors in Africa if they are to be addressed. In this session, panellists will candidly discuss the struggles faced by women and gender minorities, scrutinize social, economic, and cultural barriers driving the suppression of health rights, address issue areas in health that continue to be neglected, and highlight contextually relevant approaches that could be replicated to protect SRHR across Africa.

Speakers

• Janet Mbugua, Founder Inua Dada Foundation and Media Personality 
• Natalia Kanem, Executive Director, UNFPA 
• Adriana Rubio, General Manager, Roche Diagnostics  
• Alaa Murabit, Director of Health, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 
• Goodness Ogeyi Odey, Associate Editor and Youth Editorial Board Member at Public Health Challenges Journal, Wiley 
• Mary-Ann Etiebet, AVP, Health Equity and Lead, MSD for Mothers 
• Dr. Kashmira Date, Global Medical Affairs Lead (Vaccines), Johnson and Johnson Global Public Health
• Githinji Gitahi, Group CEO, Amref Health Africa
• Desta Lakew, Group Director of Partnerships and External Affairs, Amref Health Africa
• Dr. Yvan Butera, Minister of State, Ministry of Health, Rwanda

Room: MH3

Type of Event: Open and Livestream