Addis Ababa:Ethiopia is in the final stages of preparation to host the fifth Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2026) from November 23 to 27, as announced by Health Minister Mekdes Daba. The event is set to gather African health leaders, policymakers, researchers, and international partners to discuss health sovereignty, self-reliance, and regional cooperation across the continent.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the conference will serve as a platform for African nations to enhance their health systems through local capacity building, scientific innovation, African-led leadership, and regional collaboration. The event, themed "Strengthening Africa’s Health Sovereignty, Security, and Continental Autonomy," aims to shift the continent from dependency on external support toward owning its health priorities and improving its ability to address public health challenges.
Minister Mekdes emphasized the need for stronger domestic health systems, increased local production of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, improved emergency response capacities, and expanded regional collaboration. These steps are deemed essential for Africa to boost its public health preparedness. Additionally, digital health transformation will be a focal point, providing Ethiopia a chance to share its advancements under the 2030 digital health strategy and explore opportunities for continental collaboration in health innovation.
Hosting the conference allows Ethiopia to highlight its health-sector achievements, exchange knowledge with other African nations, and partake in collective efforts to tackle shared health issues. Discussions will also explore ways to reduce outbound medical referrals by improving domestic health-service capacity and establishing continental frameworks for professional competency assessments and regulatory alignment.
Mekdes acknowledged the Africa CDC's role in advancing Africa's public health agenda and appreciated its partnership in organizing the conference. Preparations are underway in collaboration with Africa CDC and national institutions, with coordinated efforts from transport, logistics, immigration, security, hospitality, and municipal authorities to ensure the event's success.
Over 29,000 participants from 114 countries have already registered, with expectations of around 30,000 attendees. Notably, more than 4,000 domestic participants have registered, with additional local registration opportunities forthcoming. The conference has received over 6,000 scientific abstracts, with more than 1,000 selected for presentation, alongside 70 exhibitions from over five countries and 177 side events.
The minister called on citizens and the hospitality sector to extend their traditional hospitality to international guests. Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya highlighted the high registration numbers, exceeding expectations, and anticipated further registrations as the conference date approaches.
In addition to the main conference, African health ministers will engage with a candidate for the World Health Organization's Director-General position during a dialogue on November 22. An African mayors’ convention will also take place to discuss urban transformation's role in improving public health outcomes, with a focus on reducing morbidity and mortality through improved urban environments.
Youth engagement is another aspect of the event, with a pre-conference scheduled for November 21–22. Interest from young participants has surpassed initial expectations, prompting organizers to consider accommodating more attendees. The conference will also showcase practical solutions in diagnostics, medicines, vaccines, digital health, medical technologies, and local manufacturing, offering visiting participants insights into Ethiopia’s health-sector developments.
