The African Healthcare Association (AHA) will convene its inaugural pan-African healthcare conference in Accra, Ghana, on December 18–19, 2026, to promote clinical collaboration, medical innovation and stronger healthcare delivery across the continent.
The conference, scheduled for the Marriott Hotel Accra under the theme, “Global Innovation, African Implementation,” will bring together clinicians, researchers, healthcare leaders, innovators and industry partners to explore practical solutions to Africa’s healthcare challenges.
AHA Chief Executive Officer Dr Alima Tchafa said the conference comes at a time when African health systems need to strengthen local capacity, expand access to medical expertise, and build partnerships that turn research and innovation into better health outcomes.
With discussions spanning nine clinical specialities, the gathering will focus on bridging global medical advances with the realities of healthcare delivery in Africa, where access to quality care, timely diagnosis and specialist services remains a major challenge.
The conference comes amid concerns over inadequate domestic health financing and the continent’s dependence on external assistance.
In its latest annual report, released in June, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Africa warned that governments were allocating too little domestic funding to healthcare.
“Reduced aid threatens HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, vaccination and maternal-health programmes,” said Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
According to the WHO, inadequate health financing has left the continent with only 46 per cent of its required health workforce, contributing to shortages of doctors, nurses, midwives and specialists, particularly in rural communities.
The situation has also created a paradox in which trained health professionals remain unemployed because governments cannot fund available positions, while others migrate to countries offering better pay and working conditions.
The consequences are reflected in Africa’s persistent disease burden. Maternal mortality stood at 442 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023, accounting for approximately 70 per cent of global maternal deaths, while under-five mortality reached 71.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2025.
The continent also recorded an estimated 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 deaths, underscoring the need for stronger health systems, sustainable financing and improved access to effective treatment.
The AHA conference programme will feature sessions on cardiology, nephrology, paediatrics, women’s health, infectious diseases, gastroenterology, oncology, haematology and artificial intelligence in medicine.
A special presentation on patient advocacy in Africa will also examine the importance of placing patients and communities at the centre of healthcare delivery.
According to the association, the conference is designed to advance African-led innovation, evidence-informed clinical practice and cross-border professional collaboration, with case-based discussions reflecting the continent’s healthcare realities rather than relying solely on generic international guidelines.
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, United States and Ghana; and Dr Lewis R. Roberts of Mayo Clinic, United States, and Ghana.
Other speakers will address paediatrics, kidney disease, oncology, haematology, women’s health and the application of artificial intelligence in medicine.
Ahead of the main conference, the association will organise a community medical outreach and health-screening exercise on December 16, providing an opportunity to extend healthcare services to local communities.
The programme will also offer networking opportunities and avenues for partnerships among healthcare professionals, institutions and industry stakeholders.
The association said the gathering would help strengthen professional networks and promote practical, locally relevant approaches to building more equitable and resilient healthcare systems across Africa.
