Michael Gwarisa
The annual All Stakeholders Conference on Health hosted by the Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) will, for the first time, be held outside the country, with Johannesburg, South Africa, confirmed as the host city for the 2026 edition.
Traditionally staged at the Elephant Hills Hotel in Victoria Falls, the conference has been moved due to extensive renovations planned at the facility. The renovations have made it impossible for the venue to host the large-scale event this year.
In an interview with HealthTimes, AHFoZ Chief Executive Officer Mrs Shylet Sanyanga confirmed the development and assured stakeholders that the change of venue would not affect the quality or impact of the conference.
“Regrettably for 2026, the venue advised that they will be undertaking renovations to give the place a new look,” said Mrs Sanyanga. “AHFoZ explored alternative venues with similar capacity within Zimbabwe but could not find a suitable option.”
She said the decision was also influenced by feedback from stakeholders collected during a post-conference survey conducted after the 2025 edition.
“Taking into account the stakeholder feedback survey held at the end of the 2025 conference, the AHFoZ Board resolved that the 2026 conference be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, at a venue that can accommodate all delegates in one place,” she said.
Despite the relocation, Mrs Sanyanga praised Elephant Hills Hotel for its longstanding role in hosting the conference.
“Elephant Hills has provided a one-stop solution for both local and international delegates, particularly considering accessibility by air. It is also the only venue that has consistently had the capacity to accommodate all delegates in one place, which greatly eases logistics,” she added.
The AHFoZ conference is described as an all stakeholders conference on health, reflecting the association’s inclusive approach to health sector engagement.
“Everyone is a stakeholder when it comes to health issues,” said Mrs Sanyanga.
