African political and health leaders will converge in Accra on December 3 for a high-level summit aimed at reshaping public health leadership and financing across the continent, as momentum grows for African-led solutions to future health crises.
The summit, jointly organised by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and the Society for AIDS in Africa, will take place immediately after the opening of ICASA 2025 at the H.E. John Dramani Mahama Room of the Accra International Conference Centre.
The event, titled Regional Health Leadership and Sustainable Financing in Africa, is expected to draw top government officials, global health experts, development partners, and civil society leaders from across the continent and beyond. It is designed to strengthen domestic leadership in health policymaking, stimulate sustainable financing mechanisms, and accelerate regional pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing.
According to organisers, the summit aligns with the Africa CDC New Public Health Order and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, both of which call for self-reliance and institutional resilience in the face of health emergencies.
The programme will feature a presidential fireside chat involving Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, and Congolese leader, Félix Tshisekedi, under the moderation of Michel Sidibé, the African Union’s Special Envoy to the African Medicines Agency.
Executive Director of the AHF Global Public Health Institute, Jorge Saavedra, said the summit would reinforce the urgency of domestic investment and regional production in guaranteeing Africa’s health security.
“Sustainable health financing and regional production are not just political priorities—they are imperatives for Africa’s health security and prosperity,” he said.
Discussions will also reflect Africa’s long-standing experience in managing the HIV epidemic to shape pandemic preparedness frameworks, financing architecture, and disease surveillance systems.
Panels will feature leading figures including Nigeria’s Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate, South Africa’s Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, and Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya. Ghana’s delegation includes Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Baah Forson and Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh.
Beyond the summit, AHF will host interactive discussions at its booth to promote prevention strategies, innovative financing, and community-led leadership.
Of particular focus is a forum on balancing biomedical approaches such as PrEP and treatment with traditional interventions like condom promotion and youth advocacy.
AHF provides care to over 2.7 million patients across 50 countries and continues to campaign for an equitable global health system. Observers say the Accra summit may mark a turning point in consolidating African ownership of health development policy.
Online and in-person participation in ICASA 2025 remains open to registered delegates.
