AHAIC 2025: Global Health Leaders, partners convene in Kigali to shape Africa’s Health Future

From March 2-5, 2025, Rwanda will host the Africa Health Agenda International Conference (AHAIC 2025), bringing together over 1,800 delegates from 56 countries to address Africa’s most pressing health challenges. These include the twin burdens of infectious and non-communicable diseases, climate-related health threats, and the need for sustainable health financing.

AHAIC 2025 is jointly organized by Amref Health Africa, the Ministry of Health Rwanda, WHO Regional Office for Africa, and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

While addressing the media, ahead of the conference’s official opening, today on 2 March 2, 2025 in Kigali, Dr. Githinji Gitahi, Group CEO of Amref Health Africa, stressed the urgency of the moment, noting that African health systems are facing significant risks.

He said that many countries continue to grapple with both infectious and non-communicable diseases, and the health systems they rely on today are ill-equipped to address the complexities of tomorrow’s challenges.

Non-communicable diseases, he pointed out, demand a radically different approach, particularly in terms of resources, as rapid population growth and economic pressures complicate solutions.

“Sub-Saharan Africa is facing an economic crisis, and the lack of fiscal space is a major issue. Investing in health must be tied to population development, ensuring that every girl and woman has the right to make informed reproductive health choices.”

Another key challenges discussed during the press conference was the shifting landscape of global health financing as USAID and high-income nations, including Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands, have started to reduce development assistance, creating uncertainty for future health systems.

Dr. Gitahi explained further highlighted the impact of climate change on health, urging stakeholders to consider how global warming will exacerbate existing health vulnerabilities.

Rwanda’s Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, from the Ministry of Health, shared the impact of these global shifts on local health initiatives. He noted that several USAID-funded projects, particularly those focused on maternal and child health, malaria prevention, and medical training, had been suspended. “While this has been a challenge, we’ve been preparing for it. We are adjusting our approach to fill the gaps, and exploring cost-effective solutions to continue our work”, he said.

Dr. Nsanzimana reassured that Rwanda’s commitment to health would remain strong. “The funds from USAID were not our sole source of support,” he emphasized. “We are looking for new funding opportunities and ensuring that critical services continue, even as we adapt to the new realities.”

Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting WHO Regional Director for Africa, echoed these sentiments, stressing the importance of collaboration and internal focus.  “We will collaborate with ministries of health to identify and address gaps in areas previously funded by USAID. By mapping these gaps, we can work together with ministries to find effective solutions and support governments efforts. We need to focus internally while remaining open to collaboration. Our objective is to achieve a sustainable future”, he said.

For Africa’s future health, Dr. Claudia Shilumani, Director of External Relations and Strategic Engagement at the Africa CDC, called for greater self-sufficiency. “If we assert our sovereignty as Africa, prioritizing self-sufficiency in health care, the centre will hold. This means developing, producing, and distributing our own vaccines, medicines, and medical technology, as well as cultivating a robust workforce of African health professionals,” she said.

AHAIC 2025, celebrating a decade of African-led thought leadership, marks a turning point in the fight for health equity, sustainable financing, and African-led innovation. Leaders at the press briefing urged governments, private sector players, and civil society organizations to make bold commitments that will shape Africa’s health landscape for generations to come.

The Africa Health Agenda International Conference (AHAIC) is Amref Health Africa’s flagship convening and the largest health and development conference in Africa, held every two years. Designed by and for the people of Africa, AHAIC has become a pivotal platform for shaping the continent’s health agenda.

Now in its sixth edition, AHAIC 2025 will bring together African leaders, global policymakers, financiers, innovators, technologists, scientists, and experts across sectors to drive solutions for Africa’s most pressing health challenges. At its core, AHAIC 2025 prioritizes people, ensuring that discussions reflect the realities and needs of Africa and the Global South. The conference actively encourages participation from minority populations, African nations, and low- and middle-income countries, fostering inclusive collaboration to build a self-sustaining and resilient health future for Africa.