Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the Government of Ethiopia have officially inaugurated the Conference on Public Health in Africa 2026 to advance the continent’s health security and sovereignty agenda.
The inauguration took place in Addis Ababa ahead of the conference scheduled for November 23 to 27, 2026.
Themed “Africa’s Health Security and Sovereignty: Transformation from Health Dependency and Vulnerability to Ownership and Resilience,” the conference aims to strengthen Africa-led healthcare systems and reduce dependence on external support.
Ethiopia’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hadera Abera, on Sunday says the initiative reflects Africa’s determination to build resilient public health institutions aligned with Agenda 2063.
“CPHIA 2026 will help advance Africa from dependency to self-reliance, from vulnerability to resilience, and from fragmentation to coordinated continental action,” Abera says.
The conference is expected to convene governments, scientists, policymakers, healthcare professionals and development partners to shape practical public health solutions across Africa.
Acting Deputy Director-General of Africa CDC, Raj Tajudeen, describes the event as a strategic platform for evidence-based policymaking across the African Union’s 55 member states.
He says organisers expect about 30,000 participants at the 2026 conference, compared with 2,500 attendees during the inaugural edition in 2021.
The conference will also build on commitments adopted during CPHIA 2025 to strengthen primary healthcare systems, improve accountability and mobilise African resources for health development. Africa CDC Launches CPHIA 2026 to Strengthen Health Security
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