CCA Special Events on the Sidelines of United Nations General Assembly: Unlocking Africa’s Demographic Dividend: Opportunities for Financing and Investment in Africa’s Health Sector

On September 23, 2024, on the sideline of the 79th United Nations General Assembly, The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), Corporate Council on Africa, Purpose Africa, Georgetown University, and AfroChampions organized an event to mobilize financial support for the initiative being implemented by stakeholders and engage the conversation on the healthcare system in Africa. Furthermore, the primary objectives of the events were to showcase the Programme on Investment and Financing of Africa’s Health (PIFAH), highlighting the importance of the private sector engagement in health, sustainable health systems, digital health revolution, and explore the role of Clinical Trials, Diagnostics and Imaging Technology, AI, Pharmaceutical and Biologics Local Manufacture as a Strategic Priority Initiatives for PIFAH’s First Portfolio in Selected countries. The event featured distinguished guest speakers such as the president of the Republic of Kenya (Dr. William Ruto), former president of Liberia (H.E Ellen Johnson Sirleaf), CEO of the AUDA-NEPAD (H.E Nardos BekeleThomas), CEO and President of the Corporate Council on Africa (Florizelle Liser), Nobel Laureate in Medicine (Dr. Drew Weissman), and minister of health and social welfare of Nigeria (Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate). The event started with a brief introduction from the CEO of AUDA-NEPAD, who gave welcoming and acknowledging remarks to President Ruto for his engagement in the health sector. President Ruto discussed the ongoing work to achieve universal healthcare coverage in Kenya. There is a need for African countries to stop relying on external aid for healthcare and build their own financing model in critical areas such as health, innovation, and food security. Indeed, he acknowledges the efforts of AUDA-NEPAD in developing the investment financing program for Africa’s health. The CEO of AUDA-NEPAD, H.E Nardos BekeleThomas, described the objectives of PIFAH as designated to respond to Africa’s critical need for healthcare services. She argued that PIFAH is a catalyst for transformation through its four pillars: local manufacturing, digital health, diagnostic services, and health infrastructure and systems. PIFAH will not only deliver better health outcomes but also sustainable economic growth. She emphasized the importance of efficient stakeholder collaboration to achieve universal coverage by 20230. The president and CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa lectured about the U.S.-Africa Health Security and Resilience Initiative and its objectives of creating a unique forum to enable companies, governments, and regulators from the U.S. and Africa to engage with each other on health related issues. Dr. Drew Weisman articulated the goal of developing the entire spectrum of NRA research from basic science to clinical trials and distribution of health-manufactured products to lower-income countries. Dr. John Nkengasong, at the Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy, emphasized the importance of creating a structure that keeps stakeholders in the health sector accountable for specific targets. The events resulted in the launching of a new agency and mobilizing tangible support and awareness towards the PIFAH initiative.