Africa is growing, and it’s growing rapidly. Over the last 20 years, Africa’s population has increased by 2.5% every year and is expected to rise to 2.4 billion by 2050 whilst bearing 25% of the global disease burden and is served by merely 2% of the world’s healthcare workforce. As the population booms, there will be an increasing need for better and quality healthcare services in Africa, to ensure all people can access the health services they need, without facing financial hardship. While investment in healthcare and coverage of key health services is increasing slowly, Africa still has a long way to go.
Social and economic development in certain areas has significantly improved across the African continent and we have the potential to achieve more if it can overcome the large burden of disease which continues to be a barrier to faster development. The increasing disease burden has become cause for concern to policy makers and has prompted the African Union Ministers of Health to harmonize all the existing health strategies by drawing the Africa Health Strategy (AHS) under Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want and provides a strategic direction to Africa’s efforts in creating better health for all.
The AHS provides a focus for all health initiatives to converge and calls on multilateral agencies, bilateral development partners and other partners in Africa’s development to build their health contribution around this strategy which recognizes the capacity of the private sector is not fully mobilized.
Under clause 111 (c) “Member States will review their Health Plans and will address issues of accountability within the health sector. They will also put in place advocacy, resource mobilization and budgetary provision as a demonstration of ownership. They will also undertake monitoring and evaluation at country level and report to the RECs and AU Commission. They will also ensure participation of civil society and the private sector in the development and review of national health programs and create a conducive environment for this to happen. Member states will also harmonize their policies and strategies to ensure coherence.”
With this backdrop, the 4th edition of the Africa Health Business Symposium (AHBS) will be a key platform to discuss “INTEGRATING AFRICA: BRIDGING THE HEALTH GAP” with focus on how the private health sector can bridge the gap towards achieving the AHS:
• Robust frameworks, policies and governance
• Integration of the private sector
• Public-private partnerships focusing on the continent’s top health priorities
This event will host African Ministers of Health and Ministry of Health Officials, Development Partners and Donor Communities alongside Private Sector Corporates and Champions to advance the health agenda in Africa and collaborate towards achieving the Africa Health Strategy.
Africa Health Business (AHB) is a company that focuses on strengthening the (private) healthcare sector in Africa. The company offers high level consultancy and program management services for development partners and international businesses. The AHB team, consisting of a multicultural group of individuals with various educational and professional backgrounds, has worked on wide variety of projects ranging from tailor-made health market studies, business development support, strategic planning exercises, project implementation, fundraising activities, international business delegation facilitation, base-line surveys, program management, business support activities and health conference management (Africa Health Business Symposium).