Public health in Africa: Ensuring equal access and self-sufficiency
Past Event
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.
Agenda
Opening remarks
Aloysius Uche Ordu
Director - Africa Growth Initiative
Senior Fellow - Global Economy and Development
Panel
Tolu Disu
Director, Board Member, and Co-Chair of the Communications Working Group - African Vaccine Manufacturing Initiative
Dr. Christian Happi
Professor and Director - African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University
Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu
Assistant Director-General - WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence
Hanan Morsy
Deputy Executive Secretary and Chief Economist - United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate
Julio Frenk Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership, Department of Global Health and Population - Harvard University
Aloysius Uche Ordu
Director - Africa Growth Initiative
Senior Fellow - Global Economy and Development
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