RWANDA | AHAIC | CLIMATE CHANGE | DELEGATES

About 2,000 participants in health and development sectors from around the globe are expected to converge in Kigali, Rwanda for the fifth edition of the Africa Health Agenda International Conference (AHAIC). 

The biennial conference which is jointly convened by Amref Health Africa, Rwanda’s health ministry, the African Union, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), will bring together the continent’s top leaders, political leaders, innovators, researchers, academia, policymakers, civil society, youth, and community representatives among others. 

The participants will discuss issues of climate change action, health security, conflict, communities, gender equity, and sexual reproductive health and rights among others. 

The conference under the theme Resilient Health Systems for Africa: Re-envisioning the Future Now, will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from March 5 to 8. 

The conference aims to shape a joint African position on climate and health ahead of critical conversations that will take place at the World Health Assembly, the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 78), and the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) later in the year. 

Speaking during an interview on Monday in Kololo, Dr. Patrick Kagurusi, the country manager of Amref Health Africa-Uganda, said Ugandans should expect the based practices in responding to outbreaks and pandemics like COVID-19 and Ebola at the conference. 

‘’We are going to learn about efficiencies that we are going to exploit in responding to outbreaks. One of the things we have in Uganda is how to use Community Health Workers in response to COVID-19 but also responding to another outbreak like Ebola at the same time,’’ he said 

According to the joint press release issued recently Dr. Githinji Gitahi, the Amref Health Africa chief executive officer explained that “This will be the first time that a global health conference in Africa focuses on climate change as a key determinant of health. We know that climate change and health are intrinsically intertwined, yet they have for decades now been treated as two separate issues.” 

Dr. Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, acting director general, of Africa CDC said “While we remain cautiously optimistic about the world’s ability to prevent and withstand the next global pandemic, we must also be cognisant that we cannot survive what we do not prepare for. 

It is, therefore, imperative that we come together to find solutions to today's and tomorrow’s challenges while we still have the opportunity. Together with Member States and partners such as Amref, the Africa CDC will continue to implement the New Public Health Order to drive Africa’s health security,” said. 

Dr. Moses Mulumbathe the founding director general, of Afya na Haki, is optimistic that the conference will allow Africans to look at African problems in the health sector and also find solutions for Africa.