CPHIA 2026 Identifies Six Programme Tracks for Africa’s Health Security and Sovereignty Agenda

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the Government of Ethiopia have identified six programme tracks for the 5th International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2026), scheduled for 23–27 November in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The programme will focus on strengthening Africa’s health security and sovereignty through changes in health governance, financing, healthcare delivery, manufacturing and resilience.

Held under the theme Africa’s Health Security and Sovereignty: Transformation from Health Dependency and Vulnerability to Ownership and Resilience, the conference will bring together policymakers, researchers, health professionals, innovators and other stakeholders to discuss approaches to strengthening African health systems.

According to the official conference website, the six tracks address major areas of continental public-health policy, from Africa’s influence in global health decisions to the capacity to manufacture essential health products locally.

1. Elevating Africa as a leader in a reformed and inclusive global health architecture

The first track focuses on strengthening Africa’s role in shaping global health priorities and decisions.

The programme identifies the need to incorporate African health security and sovereignty into discussions on global health governance and international health instruments. It also highlights country-led health priorities, nationally financed investment plans, partnerships aligned with national needs and accountability for external assistance.

Another component is strengthening Africa’s collective voice in multilateral institutions, including the World Health Organization, World Trade Organization and United Nations General Assembly, particularly on equitable access to medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and other health technologies.

The track also identifies South–South collaboration as a means of improving access to health products manufactured on the continent.

2. Institutionalising pandemic prevention, preparedness and response in Africa

The second track addresses the institutional arrangements required to prevent, prepare for and respond to public-health emergencies.

Its focus is on embedding pandemic prevention, preparedness and response within African health systems rather than treating these functions solely as temporary emergency activities.

The track forms part of the conference’s wider health sovereignty agenda, which seeks to strengthen African capacity to manage health threats and reduce vulnerability to external disruptions.

3. African stakeholders’ empowerment and alignment to predictable, innovative and blended financing

The third track focuses on health financing, including the need for predictable funding and approaches that combine different sources of finance.

The programme places this within the broader objective of enabling African stakeholders to support sustainable health systems and advance progress towards universal health coverage.

Its emphasis on predictable, innovative and blended financing reflects the importance of financing arrangements that can support health priorities over time.

4. Primary healthcare, digital transformation and AI-enabled health systems

The fourth track brings together primary healthcare, digital transformation and artificial intelligence-enabled health systems.

It identifies primary healthcare as a central part of efforts to strengthen health-system performance, while digital technologies and AI are positioned within the programme as areas for advancing health-service delivery.

The track places these approaches within the conference’s broader objective of developing stronger and more resilient African health systems.

5. Unlocking opportunities for local manufacturing in Africa

The fifth track focuses on opportunities to expand local manufacturing of health products across the continent.

The programme links manufacturing capacity with Africa’s ability to improve access to medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and other health technologies. It also connects local production with regulatory capability, market access and regional cooperation.

The track reflects the conference’s wider emphasis on African capacity to produce the health products needed to support its populations.

6. Climate, health security and African resilience

The sixth track addresses the relationship between climate, health security and resilience in Africa.

Its inclusion recognises climate-related challenges as part of the wider public-health agenda and places resilience alongside the conference’s other priorities for strengthening African health systems.

The track completes the six-part programme, covering a broad range of issues associated with health security and sovereignty.

Conference programme and participation

CPHIA 2026 is scheduled to take place from 23 to 27 November 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Africa CDC and the Ethiopian Government are co-hosting the conference.

The official website describes a programme featuring high-level policy dialogue, scientific sessions, innovation and investment opportunities, partnerships and collaboration. It also lists opportunities for researchers to present work aligned with the conference tracks.

The organisers expect the conference to provide a platform for African and international stakeholders to exchange research, discuss policy and explore approaches to strengthening health security and sovereignty across the continent.

Further details on sessions, speakers and programme activities are available through the official CPHIA 2026 website.

Source: Africa CDC and CPHIA 2026 official conference website.