Africa Health Agenda International Conference 2021

8-10 Mar 2021 14:00-18:00 EAT
Online / virtual conference

AHAIC 2021 is an African-led biennial global health convening hosted by Amref Health Africa, a leading health development organisation in Africa founded in 1957. This year, the virtual conference is co-convened by Africa CDC, Roche, Takeda Pharmaceuticals and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA).

The conference brings together diverse stakeholders to accelerate progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and collectively chart a course forward by highlighting and seeking to address Africa’s most pressing health challenges. To inspire greater commitment and action, the conference will spotlight key health issues on the continent, and showcase how new research, innovation and political commitments can solve those challenges to advance UHC.

Agenda

Monday, 8 March 2021 

2:00pm – 2:30pm EAT - Opening Ceremony

  • Welcome Address from Dr. Githinji Gitahi, Group CEO, Amref Health Africa (10 min)
  • Opening Remarks from Dr. Charles Okeahalam, Chairperson of the International Board of Directors, Amref Health Africa (10 min)

 2:30pm – 3:00pm EAT - Fireside Chat: Politics for Good - Leading the UHC Agenda with Conviction 

 3:00pm – 3:50pm EAT - Roundtable: Launch of the AHAIC Report on the State of UHC in Africa

 3:50pm – 4:00pm EAT - Break / Creative Interlude

 4:00pm – 5:00pm EAT -  -Plenary 1: Leadership for Change: Africa's Journey to UHC

 5:00pm-5:05 – EAT - Break / Creative Interlude

 5:05pm – 6:05pm EAT - Parallel Sessions

  • Breaking Barriers: Gender-inclusive health and leadership in Africa
  • Purposeful Partnerships
  • Technology and Digital Platforms for UHC
  • Women in Innovation: Providing leadership, creating solutions and driving change
  • Blended Finance for UHC
  • From strategy to implementation: on the pathways of the continent’s youngest countries towards digital transformations in health

Tuesday, 9 March 2021

 2:00pm – 2:10pm EAT - Introduction to Day 2

 2:10pm – 3:10pm EAT - Plenary 2: Build Back Better: Health Security Beyond COVID-19

 3:10pm – 3:15pm EAT - Break / Creative Interlude

 3:15pm – 4:15pm EAT - Parallel Sessions

  • Launching the FutureProofing Healthcare Africa Sustainability Index
  • Redefining Human Resources for Health from the Laboratory to the Last Mile
  • Strategic Health Purchasing: Changing the Conversation
  • Climate and Health: Empowering Women and Youth to Drive Climate Solutions
  • Zero Malaria Starts with Me - Draw the Line Against Malaria
  • Shaping Africa’s Healthcare Landscape through Inclusive Innovation

 4:15pm – 4:20pm EAT - Break / Creative Interlude

 4:20pm – 5:20pm EAT - Town Halls & Parallel Sessions

Town Halls

  • Town Hall: Youth leading the future of Africa
  • Town Hall: Youth engagement and entrepreneurship
  • Town Hall: Women’s leadership in health

Parallel Sessions

  • Vaccine Research, Development and Manufacturing on the African Continent
  • Pandemic-proofing primary health care

 5:20pm – 6:20pm EAT - High-level Roundtable - COVID-19 Vaccines and Africa: Where do we stand in the race for vaccines?

 5:20pm – 6:20pm EAT - Guided Networking Session

Wednesday, 10 March 2021

 2:00pm – 2:10pm EAT - Introduction to Day 3

 2:10pm – 3:10pm EAT - Plenary 3: Our Health, Our Rights: UHC and Accountability for All

 3:10pm – 3:15pm EAT - Break / Creative Interlude

 3:15pm – 4:15pm EAT - Parallel Sessions

  • Youth Leadership in Global Health
  • Multi-sectoral collaboration in nutrition programs in Africa and relevance to primary health care and Universal Health Coverage
  • Partnership for Primary care: Transforming the delivery of public primary healthcare
  • Effective Communication to Combat Health Misinformation
  • Vaccine Hesitancy and Uptake
  • Tackling Cancer Through Sustainable Health Care Systems

 4:15pm – 4:20pm EAT - Break / Creative Interlude

 4:20pm – 5:20pm EAT - Parallel Sessions

  • Rare diseases – the case for inclusion in the dialogue for Africa’s advancement towards UHC
  • From Attention to Action on Health Systems: Driving Accountability for PHC in the Wake of COVID-19
  • Legacies in Global Health
  • Health R&D for enhanced pandemic resilience, elimination of PRNDS, and attainment of UHC in Africa
  • Role of WASH in fostering women’s economic empowerment and improving sexual and reproductive health
  • Why An Africa Medicines Agency, Why Now?

 5:20pm – 6:20pm EAT - Closing Session & Awards Ceremony - Presented by Dr. Githinji Gitahi, Group CEO, Amref Health Africa  

Awards will be presented for the following categories:

  • Global Health Leadership
  • Africa Health Leadership on COVID-19
  • Journalism: COVID-19 coverage

Key outcomes of conference and AHAIC 2021 resolutions

Closing remarks