AHAIC 2023, in Rwanda conference on health and development in Africa

African political leaders, civil society, health and climate experts gather to discuss health policies for Africa against the backdrop of global challenges. Co-organized by Amref, representatives of Amref Italia will be present.

Rome, February 15, 2023 – AHAIC 2023, the largest conference on health and development held in Africa every two years, will be held in Kigali, Rwanda, from 5 to 8 March. Now in its fifth edition, the AHAIC 2023 – Africa Health Agenda International Conference, will have as its theme “Resilient health systems for Africa: Rethinking the future, now”.

Jointly convened by Amref Health Africa, the Rwandan Ministry of Health, the African Union and the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa), it will bring together key policy leaders, innovators, researchers, activists and societal leaders civil society to discuss health policies for Africa in response to the most pressing challenges of our time – conflict, climate change, food insecurity and human rights violations.

Run by and for the people of Africa in Africa, AHAIC 2023 is an event that puts people at the centre of all discussions and recognizes the unique needs of the Global South, encouraging African nations and other low- and middle-income countries to participate in redefining Africa’s health and development trajectory.

“It is the first time that a global health conference in Africa has focused on climate change as a determinant of health. We know that climate change and health are intrinsically interconnected. Yet, for decades they have been treated as two separate issues,” said Dr. Githinji Gitahi, Group CEO of Amref Health Africa, who continues – During AHAIC 2023 we will explore the nexus between climate change and health, including rapid global warming, pandemic preparedness, food security and nutrition, innovation, research and development, gender and conflicts”.

AHAIC 2023 comes amid renewed calls from African leaders for more urgent action against climate change, the impact of which continues to be acutely felt on the continent.

“As the world slowly emerges from the three-year grip of the Covid-19 pandemic, African nations remain particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. We are already feeling the effects of deteriorating global health through extreme weather events and food insecurity, limited access to clean water and frequent epidemics. Yet these issues remain on the periphery of climate conversations, despite the existence of scientific evidence that climate change threatens our well-being,” said Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, Minister of Health of Rwanda.

As the world approaches the deadline of its 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, African leaders attending the conference will urge the global community to renew commitments to end poverty and improve people’s health and well-being, while protecting the planet.

The six different sessions, each with a specific focus, aim to find sustainable and inclusive solutions to Africa’s most pressing challenges. Among these, access to therapies and vaccines, assistance, prevention and screening of the most vulnerable populations, and the critical role of health workers and communities remain priorities. Primary health care is people’s first contact with the health system.

“While we remain cautiously optimistic about the world’s ability to prevent and withstand the next global pandemic, we also need to be aware that we cannot survive what we don’t prepare for. Therefore, we must come together to find solutions to today’s and tomorrow’s challenges while we have the opportunity. Together with member states and partners such as Amref, the Africa CDC will continue to implement the New Public Health Order to promote Africa’s health security,” said Dr. Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, Acting Director General of Africa CDC.

AHAIC 2023 aims to define a common African position on climate and health ahead of critical conversations to take place at the World Health Assembly, the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 78) and the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 28) during the year.

The conference will kick off with the 2023 AHAIC Wogging Marathon on March 5, in conjunction with Kigali Car-Free Day, which takes place every first and third Sunday of the month as part of efforts to make Kigali a green city and to fight noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). This will be followed by three days of debate, high-level meetings, workshops and networking sessions which will take place from 6 to 8 March.

AHAIC2023 will see speeches from a wide selection of some of the leading experts including Alaa Murabit (Director of Health, Advocacy and Communication, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), Dr Benjamin Djoudalbaye (Head of Policy, Health Diplomacy, and Communication, Africa CDC), Dr. Richard Sezibera (Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Health, Government of Rwanda), Vanessa Nakate (Youth Climate Activist and Founder, The Rise Up Movement), Dr. Ebere Okereke (Senior Adviser Heath, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change; Honorary Senior Adviser Africa CDC, Associate Fellow Chatham House), Mary-Ann Etiebet (AVP, Health Equity and Lead – MSD for Mothers) and many others.

Register for the CONFERENCE HERE

Article first published on https://www.insalutenews.it/in-salute/ahaic-2023-in-ruanda-conferenza-su-salute-e-sviluppo-in-africa/