By Iyemah David
African leaders, policymakers and global health stakeholders have called for urgent action to transform the continent’s health systems, as momentum builds for reforms across Africa.
The call was made on Wednesday, via webinar at the end of the World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya, where participants stressed the need to move from commitments to concrete implementation.
Speaking at the summit, Kenya’s Deputy President, Kithure Kindiki, said Africa was witnessing renewed political will to strengthen health systems through financing reforms, local manufacturing and improved coordination.
Kindiki highlighted ongoing efforts led by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, particularly its immunisation strategy to enhance health security across the continent.
He said although a political window had opened, governments and stakeholders must now ensure that commitments translate into tangible outcomes at the country level.
Also speaking, President of the World Health Summit, Axel Pries, said that achieving health sovereignty required collaboration across sectors and borders.
According to him, partnerships among governments, academia, civil society, and the private sector remain critical to building resilient, self-reliant health systems.
Prof. Lukoye Atwoli, Professor of Psychiatry and the Dean of the Aga Khan University Medical. College, East Africa, said the summit deliberately focused on actionable solutions.
Atwoli said that discussions went beyond identifying problems to driving implementation.
“At times, the conversations were uncomfortable, but necessary, not just to diagnose problems but to drive action,” he said.
He said that governments must begin to treat healthcare as a strategic investment tied to economic growth and national security.
Dr Inas Abdelwahed, Chairperson, Women in Global Health, Egypt Chapter, said that the past three days had been defined by urgency, ambition, and difficult but necessary conversations.
“As the conference moves into its closing plenary, the focus shifts from dialogue to direction. What lessons do we carry forward? And how do we translate momentum into measurable change?”
The summit brought together more than 3,000 participants, including over 400 speakers and representatives from more than 50 countries, with at least 15 ministers in attendance.
Discussions centred on key areas such as pandemic preparedness, climate change and health systems resilience, digital health innovation, health financing, and universal health coverage.
Other focus areas included gender equity, youth leadership, mental health, and primary healthcare.
Participants also called for stronger collaboration and locally driven solutions tailored to Africa’s unique health challenges.
Discussion on strengthening Africa’s health systems intensified on the second day, with stakeholders calling for deeper collaboration and practical, locally driven solutions.
Participants highlighted the need for solutions grounded in local realities, noting that sustainable health systems must reflect country-specific contexts and priorities.
The second day of deliberations focused on translating ongoing conversations into actionable strategies that can strengthen health systems across Africa.
Stakeholders said that there was a strong call for deeper collaboration, focused on building solutions grounded in local realities.
They said that continued dialogue and shared learning remained essential to addressing emerging health challenges and improving service delivery across the continent.
The meeting was hosted by Aga Khan University in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
It concluded with a renewed commitment to strengthening health systems and improving health outcomes across the continent.
