Strathmore University Business School, with support from the Gates Foundation, convened the Africa Health Systems Forum on 3 November 2025 in Nairobi, bringing together 257 participants from government, academia, civil society, private sector, and development organizations. The forum examined the continent’s rapidly changing health financing landscape amid sharp reductions in donor funding that threaten decades of hard-won health gains.
Over the past two decades, Africa has strengthened disease surveillance, immunization, maternal and child health, and health technology systems. However, accelerating funding cuts are disrupting essential services in areas such as HIV, TB, malaria, and primary healthcare. Speakers underscored an urgent need for country-led, partnership-driven, and sustainably financed health systems to safeguard progress and support long-term resilience.
The Forum highlighted three core objectives:
-
Expose the real impacts of funding cuts through lessons from Kenya and across Africa.
-
Showcase resilience and innovation, including solutions in primary care, digital health, community systems, and domestic financing.
-
Catalyze partnerships anchored in accountability, shared priorities, and long-term sustainability.
Key cross-cutting themes included domestic resource mobilization, efficiency and accountability, health as an economic investment, strategic public–private partnerships, community engagement, policy stability, and data-led decision making. Speakers called for bold reforms that position health as a driver of economic growth and resilience, not merely a social expenditure.
The report outlines five strategic shifts required for Africa’s health systems:
-
Strengthening country-led financing
-
Leveraging technology responsibly
-
Building governance rooted in trust
-
Expanding community-led health systems
-
Reimagining partnerships aligned with national priorities
Panel discussions explored how countries are adapting to declining aid, the future of financing mixes, and the role of private sector innovation. A fireside chat and keynote reflections brought human stories into focus, illustrating the real-life effects of disrupted funding for essential services like HIV care.
The Forum concludes with clear recommendations for governments, private sector, philanthropy and development partners, and communities, alongside shared imperatives for all stakeholders—including adopting a whole-of-system approach, investing in prevention, strengthening accountability, and centering community voices.
Africa’s path forward is clear: sustained progress depends on leadership, local ownership, strategic partnerships, and predictable financing to build resilient, equitable, and future-ready health systems.
