3rd international conference on public health in Africa opens in Zambia

By James Kunda

LUSAKA, Zambia (AA) - The third International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA-2023) opened in Zambia on Monday, with the continent aiming to accelerate efforts toward achieving a new public health order.

The conference saw the honoring of World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus with the prestigious Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa-CDC) lifetime achievement award in public health.

Ghebreyesus was recognized for his contribution and lasting impact on global public health.

Inaugurating the four-day CPHIA-2023 running under the theme; ‘Breaking barriers: repositioning Africa in the global health architecture,’ in Lusaka, the capital, Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema called for Africa to develop stronger global synergies on vaccine production.

He said this would make the continent become more resilient in fighting the disease burden which retards development.

“We need leadership at all levels to support health, even at small clinics, to run the everyday work. Coordination is also crucial... We have to work together,” Hichilema said.

Addressing the same forum, Ghebreyesus said equitable access to health services was key to disease control and prevention on the continent.

“This is improving for Africa’s development agenda. A healthy Africa is the foundation for a more secure, prosperous and peaceful continent,” he said.

Africa-CDC director general Jean Kaseya said Ghebreyesus’s award was a testament to his dedication towards promoting the well-being of communities across the globe.

He said that only 1% of vaccines used in Africa were produced by the continent, making the indaba critical in helping the continent address the imbalance and promote self-reliance.