Public health in Africa: Ensuring equal access and self-sufficiency

Much of Africa’s economic recovery hinges on the world’s ability to contain the COVID-19 virus in the long term—as evidenced by the reactive travel bans that punished Africa for the omicron variant already circulating around the globe. National economies can only have robust growth if both the global economy and their populations are healthy. In order to achieve global health equity, global and African policymakers are prioritizing strategies to prepare Africa’s health systems to be self-sufficient so it can effectively tackle both current and future health crises.

As part of the Foresight Africa event series, on February 28, the Brookings Africa Growth Initiative hosted a discussion on trends in public health systems in Africa in the coming year and beyond. The panel explored the future of health research and development in the region, efforts to boost pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing, and strategies for financing the health sector, among other topics.

After their remarks, the panel took audience questions.