Africa Leads the Charge for a Fairer Global Health System

The global health system is at a defining moment. Mounting pressure from reduced financing, widening inequities, and the urgent call for fairness expressed in the Lusaka Agenda highlight the need for a fundamental rethink of how health is governed, financed, and delivered worldwide. Without reform, millions risk being left behind, and the system may fail to respond effectively to future global health threats.

This vision is further grounded in an Africa Perspective Paper on Global Health Reform, commissioned by Wellcome Trust which was published as one of five bold proposals for a reimagined global health architecture, each authored by an innovative thought leader of a different region of the world.

Next, Amref Health Africa, with support from Wellcome Trust, is leading an African dialogue on Global Health Reform, a region-wide initiative that will test, challenge, and refine the ideas outlined in the paper and other calls for reform. This will help ensure that Africa’s priorities are clearly defined, widely owned, and powerfully represented in global health reform debates. Complementing existing regional and national processes, this inclusive and collective effort seeks to convene governments, regional organizations, non-governmental actors, and key stakeholders from across the continent to deliberate key priorities, proposals and implementation pathways for reforming theglobal health architecture

The dialogue will unfold in three key phases:

• Virtual Ideation & Refinement (September 2025): Through a series of virtual sessions, stakeholders across Africa will share perspectives on pressing priorities, challenges, and opportunities. Amref welcomes the broadest possible range of voices to stress-test core reform propositions and surface Africa’s lived realities.
• In-Person Synthesis & Action Planning (October 2025): A high-level continental gathering will provide space for frank, inclusive dialogue to synthesize outputs, debate contested areas, and develop concrete, actionable proposals for reform.
• Final Virtual Validation & Endorsement (November 2025): A focused virtual session will validate proposals, secure broad endorsement, and finalize Africa’s consensus position.

The insights gathered will culminate in a published outcome paper, representing the collective thinking of African stakeholders. This document will outline the region’s priorities, areas of consensus, and recommendations for practical implementation of a new global health system, one that is fairer, more effective, and more responsive to the people it is meant to serve. Africa’s outcome paper will also inform a global synthesis paper and future global convening, ensuring that Africa’s voice helps shape the direction of reforms alongside other regions.

This dialogue represents a historic opportunity: to move beyond fragmented approaches and toward a unified African vision for health equity and resilience. Through collective action, Africa is helping to shape a new global health architecture that reflects the needs of all people, everywhere.

Amref Health Africa invites governments, civil society, private sector leaders, academia, youth networks, and development partners to actively participate in the process by contributing insights during the consultation phase, sharing evidence and perspectives, amplifying findings through your networks, and committing resources to sustain momentum

For more information or to take part in the consultations, please write to: Global.communications@Amref.org.

Together, we can shape a global health system that reflects Africa’s priorities and strengthens health for all.