Africa pushes for health sovereignty, system-wide reforms at regional meeting
African leaders and global health experts have called for a decisive shift from fragmented interventions to resilient, well-financed health systems.
They made the call via a webinar on Monday, at the World Health Summit (WHS) Regional Meeting 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya.
The report states that the high-level gathering, which brought together more than 2,000 participants from over 50 countries, set the tone for a new phase in global health governance, driven by African leadership, coordinated action and sustainable financing.
Declaring the meeting open, President William Ruto of Kenya said the current imbalance in global health systems is no longer sustainable.
Ruto urged countries to move beyond piecemeal interventions.
“This imbalance is neither sustainable nor tenable. It calls for a decisive and deliberate shift, from fragmented, piecemeal interventions to comprehensive, system-wide transformation anchored in coherent strategy, financed through both domestic and international capital,” he said.
He added that Africa must harness its unique advantages to position itself as a source of scalable solutions rather than a continent defined by persistent challenges.
Also speaking, Dr Jean Kaseya, Director-General, Africa CDC, emphasised that Africa’s health security and sovereignty depended on its ability to finance and build resilient systems at scale.
Kaseya noted the summit provided a critical platform to mobilise investments, strengthen partnerships and advance African-led solutions that would reduce dependency and expand access to quality healthcare.
Also speaking, Dr Mohammed Janabi, World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, described the meeting as a historic opportunity to develop a blueprint for a stronger and more integrated health system across the continent.
According to Janabi, Africa must move from addressing isolated health challenges to building a coherent ecosystem capable of responding to multiple and interconnected threats.
On his part, Prof. Lukoye Atwoli, professor of Psychiatry and the Dean of the Aga Khan University Medical. College, East Africa, said the summit marked a turning point in how Africa engaged in global health discourse.
“For too long, Africa has been the subject of global health discussions held elsewhere.
“Today, we are asserting that African institutions, researchers and policymakers are not just participants but co-authors of global health policy,” Atwoli said.
Earlier, Prof. Axel Radlach Pries, a German professor of physiology, noted that the Nairobi meeting reflected Africa’s growing influence in shaping the global health agenda, with a focus on translating dialogue into practical action.
Similarly, Mrs Zainab Bangura, a social activist and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sierra Leone, highlighted the link between health, sustainable development and human dignity, stressing that the continent’s health outcomes remained central to broader development goals.
The report states that the meeting, hosted by the Aga Khan University, marks the second time the regional convening had been held in East Africa, underscoring Africa’s growing influence in global health discussions.
With the theme: “Reimagining Africa’s Health Systems: Innovation, Integration, and Interdependence,” the summit features plenary, ministerial roundtables, technical sessions, youth forums, and community dialogues aimed at strengthening collaboration across sectors.
Organisers are of the view that the meeting came at a critical time, when African health systems faced emerging health threats and long-standing structural challenges, with support from institutions such as the Africa CDC and the WHO Africa Region.
The gathering is expected to strengthen Africa’s voice in global health governance, while highlighting Kenya’s leadership in health system reform and universal health coverage.
It is also expected to produce actionable frameworks aimed at strengthening health systems, enhancing domestic financing and promoting African-led innovations in healthcare delivery.
Observers believed that outcomes of the summit could significantly influence ongoing health sector reforms in countries such as Nigeria, particularly in areas of primary healthcare strengthening, health financing and disease preparedness.