Africa Health Conference concludes in Cairo with call to localize pharmaceutical industry

CAIRO - 18 June 2026: The Africa Health Conference concluded in Cairo by issuing a comprehensive framework of strategic recommendations, spearheaded by a continental mandate to localize medicine and vaccine manufacturing across Africa.

Dr. Adel Adawy, former Egyptian Minister of Health and chairman of the conference’s scientific committee, announced that the event gathered global medical institutions, healthcare centers, and international bodies, led prominently by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

 

Government representatives, international organizations, academic bodies, and private sector stakeholders united to ratify a joint agenda targeting continental healthcare sovereignty.

The final resolutions of the 2026 conference established seven priority actions for the continent:

1- Achieving absolute healthcare sovereignty across the African continent.
2- Establishing localized manufacturing networks for medicines and vaccines.

3- Facilitating rapid medical technology transfer and developing robust crisis management frameworks.

4- Enhancing epidemiological surveillance, pandemic preparedness, and continental health coordination.

5- Strengthening collective resilience against emerging global health threats.

6- Boosting regional production capacities, funding mechanisms, and national healthcare systems.

7- Accelerating the construction of regional African hubs for medical supplies to eliminate external dependency.

 

The conference delegation welcomed the strategic outcomes of this fifth edition, notably the signing of key memoranda of understanding (MoUs) designed to bolster regulatory and pharmaceutical cooperation during health crises.

Delegates emphasized adhering to World Health Organization (WHO) Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and navigating intellectual property rights to maximize vaccine accessibility.

Dr. Adawy stressed that sustainable investment in hospital infrastructure and human capital remains the cornerstone of African health security. He called for unified medical education, continuous training, and mutual recognition of healthcare qualifications across African states.

Dr. Hisham Stait, Vice Chairman of the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement (UPA), confirmed the massive turnout of regional health leaders and announced that the next edition of the conference is scheduled to run from June 7 to June 11, 2027.

The closing session featured key regional health figures, including former Minister of Health Dr. Maha El-Rabat, UPA Vice Chairman Dr. Hisham Stait, Head of the General Authority for Healthcare Dr. Ahmed El-Sobky, and Head of the General Authority for Healthcare Accreditation and Regulation (GAHAR) Dr. Ahmed Taha.