The 4th International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2025) emphasized health sovereignty as essential for Africa’s economic and security future amid rising health emergencies and shrinking external funding. Under the theme “Moving Toward Self-Reliance,” it united 20,000 participants around five priorities: African manufacturing, innovative financing, primary healthcare transformation, pandemic preparedness, and data governance.
The 4th International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2025), held in Durban, came at a defining moment for the continent as public health emergencies rose by over 40 percent since 2022. This surge occurred alongside declining international funding, rising debt obligations, and tightening fiscal conditions. With South Africa assuming the 2025 G20 Presidency, Africa gained an opportunity to strengthen its global influence and articulate a unified voice on health priorities. The conference, themed “Moving Toward Self-Reliance to Achieve Universal Health Coverage and Health Security,” convened around 20,000 participants representing governments, academic institutions, civil society, and international partners.
Discussions focused on strengthening Africa’s health sovereignty as a foundation for broader economic transformation and long-term stability. Participants stressed that self-reliance in health systems is essential, not optional, for achieving sustainable growth and resilience against crises. Five catalytic priorities formed the core of Africa’s roadmap for health sovereignty: boosting African manufacturing capacity, developing innovative health financing mechanisms, transforming primary healthcare delivery, advancing pandemic preparedness and response, and ensuring data ownership and governance. Collectively, these actions aim to foster independence, sustainability, and leadership within the global health landscape, ensuring that Africa’s future health and prosperity are driven by African-led solutions.
