African leaders, scientists, researchers, and innovators have proposed strategic measures to reposition Africa in the global health architecture. The discussions took place at the 2023 Conference on Public Health in Africa in Lusaka, Zambia, under the theme “Breaking Barriers: Repositioning Africa in the Global Health Architecture.”
The conference, organized by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, is set to spotlight cutting-edge research, innovations, and African-led solutions to public health challenges. Key figures emphasized the need to go beyond traditional healthcare models and forge a new public health order for Africa.
Dr Jean Kaseya, the Director-General of the Africa CDC, highlighted the importance of community, connectivity, capacity, collaboration, and climate in guiding leaders to reposition Africa in the global health architecture. He stressed the need to strengthen community resilience, bridge geographical gaps through connectivity, address the shortage of skilled health workers, and enhance Africa’s medical manufacturing capabilities.
Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, expressed confidence in Africa playing a pivotal role in the future of global health but emphasized the necessity of political will. Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema underscored the role of collaboration in building a resilient public health system.
The conference also addressed the unprecedented leap in health technology innovations in Africa, from mobile health applications to digital disease surveillance. The participants highlighted the importance of scaling up successful interventions, sharing best practices, and fostering collaboration to ensure widespread access to life-saving innovations across the continent.