By Michael Gwarisa
The tone has already been set for the hosting of the Fourth International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2025) scheduled for Durban, South Africa from October 22 to 25, 2025. The conference will deliberate on numerous issues, chief among them domestic health financing, as Africa seeks sustainable solutions amid dwindling donor support.
The meeting will be held under the theme “Moving Towards Self-Reliance to Achieve Universal Health Coverage and Health Security in Africa” and will be co-hosted by the Africa CDC and the Government of South Africa in collaboration with Africa Bio’s 8th Annobio Africa Convention.
Speaking during the virtual media launch of the 4th CPHIA, Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa CDC, said Africa’s healthcare systems are under siege from multiple factors including conflict, climate shocks, and a 40 percent surge in public health threats. He noted that CPHIA 2025 will focus on developing lasting solutions to the continent’s domestic health financing crisis.
But perhaps most worrying is that these crises are unfolding against a backdrop of declining resources. Since 2021, foreign assistance for health in Africa has dropped by nearly 70 percent,” said Dr. Kaseya.
“It means hospitals are running without essential supplies, communities are left without clinics, and health workers are losing their jobs. It also means the hard-won progress we made on maternal and child health, HIV, malaria, and non-communicable diseases is at risk of being rolled back.”
He added that the decline in domestic health financing marks a turning point and said Africa cannot afford to continue with business as usual.
“We must rethink how we finance, manage, and deliver healthcare. We must rebuild systems that are strong, resilient, and above all, self-sufficient. This is what we call health sovereignty in Africa. That is why the upcoming CPHIA 2025 is not just another meeting. It is Africa owning this platform to shape its health future.”
In Durban, health leaders, scientists, policymakers, and community voices will converge to forge solutions that work for Africa. The conference will spotlight African-led ideas in transforming primary healthcare, creating sustainable financing models, and scaling local production of vaccines, medicines, diagnostics, and other essential commodities.
Rethinking Health Financing Models
Discussions at the conference will also emphasize health financing reforms that go beyond funding and focus on governance and accountability. African governments currently allocate an average of only 7 percent of their national budgets to health, well below the 15 percent target set by the Abuja Declaration. Some countries still allocate less than 3 percent, making it difficult to build resilient health systems.
To address this, innovative financing mechanisms are being explored. Several countries including South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Ghana are implementing creative approaches such as taxes on sugar, tobacco, and air travel to raise additional funds for health. For instance, the DRC now allocates 2 percent of revenue from all imported goods to the health sector, generating about US$1.4 billion annually.
Beyond public funds, the private sector is also being encouraged to play a greater role through blended finance and strategic investments in health. However, for these reforms to succeed, good governance and transparency are essential. Africa CDC is advocating for zero tolerance for fraud and corruption to ensure that every dollar raised contributes directly to strengthening healthcare delivery.
This agenda, centered on domestic financing, innovation, and accountability, will be a key focus of discussions at CPHIA 2025.
Speaking during the same event, Prof. Olive Shisana, the CPHIA 2025 Co-Chair and President and CEO of Evidence-Based Solutions, said the upcoming conference presents a defining moment for Africa to take charge of its health agenda.
“It is an opportunity for Africa to lead, shape, and define its own health future. CPHIA 2025 is more than a conference; it is a platform for Africa to reclaim its leadership in global health,” she said.
She added that this year’s theme, “Moving Towards Self-Reliance to Achieve Universal Health Coverage and Health Security in Africa,” underscores the continent’s growing capacity to drive its own priorities.
“Self-reliance is not isolation; it is resilience. It is about harnessing our own capacity, investing in our systems, and ensuring that Africa’s priorities drive global health decisions,” said Prof. Shisana.
The 2025 program is built around three core pillars: primary healthcare transformation, predictable health financing, and local manufacturing of vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics. These pillars will be explored through eight thematic tracks focusing on areas such as health product manufacturing, digital health, climate resilience, and pandemic preparedness.
According to Prof. Shisana, the evidence and policy recommendations from CPHIA will inform the G20 Leaders’ Declaration, reinforcing Africa’s voice in shaping global health policy.
“Hosting CPHIA in South Africa ensures a direct bridge between continental evidence and global policymaking. This is Africa’s moment, a moment to chart a path towards health security and universal coverage,” she concluded.
Meanwhile, Dr. Nhlanhla Msomi, President of Africa Bio, said the collaboration between Africa Bio and Africa CDC reflects a growing commitment to building Africa’s scientific and industrial capacity from the ground up.
“BioAfrica started about nine years ago with the goal of developing scientific capability in the continent and creating a Global South innovation model that influences industrial value chains,” said Dr. Msomi.
He explained that the vision behind BioAfrica has always been to empower African scientists and innovators to take ownership of the continent’s health and industrial agenda.
“Unless African scientists and innovators are part of that partnership, nothing will move. We will continue importing solutions from the Global North,” he said.
Dr. Msomi highlighted that Africa Bio’s collaboration with the Africa CDC this year includes the development of a model for an African-defined pharmaceutical development agenda. The initiative aims to break dependency on imported technologies and ensure innovation responds to Africa’s health challenges.
“Most of our challenges stem from the fact that the global innovation agenda is controlled by big pharmaceutical companies and industrialists who have little interest in solving Africa’s problems,” he noted.
He revealed that at any given time, Africa faces more than 200 epidemics, yet most lack diagnostics or countermeasures because global pharmaceutical priorities are commercially driven.
“Our goal is to create a future driven by African scientists and innovators and to compel African industrialists to reimagine their role in serving the continent’s public health needs,” said Dr. Msomi.
He added that BioAfrica’s partnership with Africa CDC represents a significant step toward reimagining a future where innovation happens in Africa, is led by Africans, and addresses Africa’s unique public health priorities.
