Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Dr. Jean Kaseya has urged African scientists and medical specialists to take full ownership of the continent’s health agenda and rely on homegrown science, innovation, and financing to achieve universal health coverage.
Speaking at the official opening of the 4th International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2025) in Durban, South Africa, Dr. Kaseya said the gathering is designed to give scientists a stronger voice in shaping health policy.
“We made a deliberate choice to bring more scientists this year. We wanted to show that Africa is led by science and that science drives our decision-making,” he said.
The conference which runs from October 22 to 25, brings together more than 800 scientists and researchers out of which 100 will present research that has been peer-reviewed to ensure scientific quality.
Dr. Kaseya He outlined five priorities for achieving it; domestic financing, local pharmaceutical manufacturing, governance reform, digital transformation, and stronger public health systems.
For his part, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Joe Phaahla said the real measure of Africa’s success in healthcare advancement lies in how the continent translates its decisions into actions that improve lives.
Professor Mohamed Yakub Janabi, Director of the WHO African Region, urged countries to invest more in health and build a sustainable future for their people. He also encouraged them to forge stronger partnerships arguing that independence doesn’t translate to working alone.
Dr. Nhlanhla Msomi, President of AfricaBio has since called for a shift from dependence on external technologies.
Malawian health experts and scientists including Professor Adamson Muula from Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHES) and other officials from the Ministry of Health, Public Health Institute of Malawi and other partners are participating and making presentations at the conference.
Hosted by the Africa CDC in partnership with the Government of South Africa and AfricaBio, CPHIA 2025 brings together delegates from over 20 countries, including representatives from the African Union, WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, and the Global Fund.
