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By Correspondent, Ghana-
The African Healthcare Association (AHA) will host its inaugural African healthcare conference in Accra, Ghana, on 18–19 December 2026, bringing together clinicians, researchers, healthcare leaders, innovators, and industry partners to advance collaboration and improve healthcare delivery across the continent.
Held at the Marriott Hotel Accra under the theme “Global Innovation, African Implementation,” the conference will give African and international experts a platform to exchange clinical knowledge, discuss emerging medical innovations, and explore practical approaches to strengthening healthcare systems in Africa.
“The conference comes as African health systems seek to strengthen local capacity, expand access to medical expertise, and build partnerships that translate research and innovation into better health outcomes,” said Dr. Alima Tchafa, the CEO of the African Healthcare Association.
With discussions spanning nine clinical specialties, the gathering aims to connect global medical advances with the realities of African healthcare, where access to quality care, timely diagnosis, effective treatment, and specialist services remains a priority.
In its latest annual report, released in June, the WHO Africa regional director said African governments are allocating insufficient domestic resources to health and instead relying on external assistance. “Reduced aid threatens HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, vaccination, and maternal health programs,” said Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
According to the WHO, the consequences are dire. Inadequate domestic funding has ensured that only 46% of the workforce required is available, leaving rural communities underserved due to a lack of doctors, nurses, midwives, and specialists. Paradoxically, trained professionals remain unemployed because governments cannot finance available posts, while others migrate to better-paying countries.
As a result, Africa is recording the highest preventable deaths globally. For example, maternal mortality rates saw 442 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023, approximately 70% of global maternal deaths, while under-five mortality reached 71.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2025. Malaria cases recorded 282 million and 610,000 deaths.
The inaugural African Healthcare Association Conference program will feature sessions on cardiology, nephrology, pediatrics, women’s health, infectious diseases, gastroenterology, oncology, hematology, and artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine. It will also include a special presentation on patient advocacy in Africa, highlighting the importance of placing patients and communities at the center of healthcare delivery.
AHA says the conference is designed to promote African-led innovation, evidence-informed clinical practice, and cross-border professional collaboration, with case-based discussions tailored to the continent’s healthcare realities rather than relying solely on generic international guidelines.
The faculty will bring together medical professionals and researchers working across Africa and the diaspora. Confirmed speakers listed on the conference website include Professor Blanche Cupido of the University of Cape Town, South Africa; Professor Mohamed El-Kassas of Helwan University, Egypt; Dr. Amma Agyemang of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, USA, and Ghana; and Dr. Lewis R. Roberts of Mayo Clinic, USA, and Ghana.
Other speakers will address pediatrics, kidney disease, oncology, hematology, women’s health, and the application of AI in medicine.
Beyond the clinical sessions, the program will include a community medical outreach and health-screening activity on 16 December, ahead of the main conference, as well as networking and opportunities to explore partnerships among healthcare professionals, institutions, and industry stakeholders.
As the continent continues to pursue stronger, more equitable, and more resilient health systems, the meeting offers an opportunity to strengthen professional networks and advance practical approaches to improving patient care.
