Amref Health Africa CEO calls for moving from dialogue to action
UA.NEWS27
September
2026
00:04
Amref Health Africa CEO Githinji Gitahi, in a column summing up the week of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, United States, said there is a need to turn international discussions on health in Africa into practical action. As Nation Kenya writes, in his view, the global conversation on healthcare has changed, but healthcare delivery systems are not changing quickly enough.
Financing and system resilience
According to Gitahi, financing is a key issue for pandemic preparedness, universal health coverage, climate change adaptation, the provision of health workers, and access to medicines. He noted that changes in the volume of external aid and debt pressure limit public investment in healthcare systems in many African countries.
In the view of the head of Amref Health Africa, health sovereignty should rely on national budgets, capable public institutions, regional risk-sharing, local and regional production, as well as Africa’s control over health data. At the same time, he stressed that sovereignty does not mean isolation: international cooperation should be predictable, strengthen national and regional capacities, and correspond to countries’ priorities.
Communities and outbreak preparedness
Gitahi noted that disease outbreaks are felt first and foremost by people in homes, villages, markets, and urban areas, rather than by conference participants. In his assessment, a response plan will not work if a worker cannot afford to self-isolate, information is not provided in a language people understand, and a family cannot access assistance without the risk of impoverishment.
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He linked epidemic preparedness to reliable primary healthcare services, support for community health workers, honest communication, and meaningful public participation. The author named extreme weather events and changes in disease distribution as separate challenges that place additional pressure on healthcare systems.
Conference in Kigali
Gitahi also mentioned the Africa Health Agenda International Conference 2027, which is planned to be held in Kigali, Rwanda, from February 28 to March 3, 2027. Its theme will be the transition from dialogue to practical implementation and the rethinking of Africa’s healthcare ecosystem for a healthy and sovereign future.
In his assessment, the conference could become a platform for exchanging views among governments, communities, researchers, investors, and civil society. At the same time, it will not replace the responsibility of states and institutions for decision-making, financing, and accountability.
