Africa Press Day 2026 Investing in Health, a Driver of Development in Africa

Africa Press Day 2026 – Putting Health at the Core of the Continent’s Development

Two days of intensive dialogue brought together experts and decision‑makers to explore how African health systems can become more equitable and efficient, placing people at the centre of policy while integrating new technologies and innovative financing models.

Overview

La Presse – Africa placed health at the heart of its development agenda during Africa Press Day 2026, an event organised by pharmaceutical giant Roche. Under the theme “Health: What Value?”, the forum gathered journalists, policy‑makers, medical and development finance experts to tackle a crucial question: How can health be valued on the African continent and turned into a strategic lever for growth and equity?

Over two days, participants examined concrete solutions to strengthen health systems, improve access to care, and promote prevention of chronic diseases. They also highlighted the central role of media in raising awareness and advocating for sustainable policies. The programme combined panels, workshops, and field visits, aiming to link scientific expertise with decision‑making power to maximise the economic and social impact of health initiatives.

Health as a Human and Economic Investment

At the opening of the forum, Jacqueline Wambua, General Manager East Africa for Roche Kenya, stressed the need to rethink health in Africa as a strategic, human‑centred investment rather than a mere cost. She argued that the value of health goes beyond budgets: it encompasses family well‑being, worker productivity, and national resilience.

Wambua also highlighted the central role of women in African development. Women are the backbone of families, communities, and economies—as caregivers, entrepreneurs, teachers, and farmers.

“When a woman is healthy, families thrive, communities strengthen, and the economy advances,” she said.

Conversely, premature mortality—such as from esophageal cancer—inflicts massive human and economic losses, affecting hundreds of children and jeopardising local development.

Roche’s “Ambition for Esophageal Cancer in Africa” programme aims to raise survival by 60 % through a systemic approach: early detection, rapid diagnosis, treatment, and long‑term care. Success depends on partnerships with African governments, the WHO, local initiatives, and sectoral coalitions.

Wambua distilled four essential truths:

Health is costly but profitable.
It is an economic policy lever.
System resilience is crucial for future crises.
Access to diagnostics and treatments remains unequal, demanding innovative, digital models.

Responsible and Equitable Health Systems

Dr. Ouma Oluga, Principal Secretary of the State Department for Medical Services at Kenya’s Ministry of Health, reminded the audience that health can no longer be viewed as a simple administrative expense; it is a driver of economic and social development.

He argued that system efficiency must be measured not only by service availability but also by the ability to meet real patient needs, especially those of women, while accounting for economic and institutional constraints.

According to Dr. Oluga, three main barriers hinder access to care:

Negative perception of services.
Information deficits.
Administrative inefficiencies.

These gaps widen the divide between scientific knowledge and actual care, leading to tragic outcomes such as high mortality from female brain cancer.

He called for patient‑centred solutions, transparent health‑policy platforms, and financing aligned with real priorities and expected results.

“Every policy decision must be evaluated on its direct impact on patients’ lives, the prevention of premature deaths, and the protection of families,” he emphasized.

Prevention and Innovation: A Guaranteed Return on Investment

The session “Health in Equity: Who Has Access and Who Doesn’t?”, moderated by Matthieu Galais, CEO of Roche Tunisia & Libya, underscored the need for a holistic health approach.

Prof. Jalila Ben Khelil, President of Tunisia’s Committee for the Protection of Persons, reminded attendees that preventing disease is far cheaper than treating it at an advanced stage. She identified four priority levers:

Strengthening primary care.
Systematic screening.
Continuous access to essential medicines.
Coordination across all levels of care.

Beyond infrastructure, financial access remains a core challenge. Ben Khelil advocated for expanded social coverage and large‑scale prevention programmes, emphasizing health education and awareness to empower patients in managing their conditions.

Telemedicine, presented by Saad Chaacho, emerged as a key solution to medical deserts. Ongoing programmes in Morocco already enable over one million patients to receive specialist consultations remotely.

Entrepreneur Joanna Bichsel, founder of Kasha Global, stressed the importance of public‑private partnerships and innovative financing to improve access to costly treatments.

Finance Serving Health: A Lever for Prosperity

Oluranti Doherty, Development Director for Export at Afreximbank, described health as a true engine of economic prosperity. She noted that health systems constitute the human‑capital infrastructure essential for productivity and industrialisation across the continent.

Improved access to care reduces disease‑related economic losses, retains talent, and strengthens economic sovereignty.

Afreximbank’s health‑sector investments exceed US $3 billion, including:

US $2 billion to facilitate vaccine access during the COVID‑19 pandemic.
US $200 million to transform medical‑consumable manufacturing plants.
US $300 million to create the African Medical Centre of Excellence in Abuja, in partnership with King’s College Hospital London— a tertiary centre focusing on non‑communicable diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disorders.

Doherty highlighted that each death averted before age 45 translates into decades of productivity and tax revenue, underscoring the need for effective dialogue between ministries and financial institutions to secure sustainable investments.

“The question is not whether we can afford to invest in health, but whether we can afford not to,” she asserted.

Towards a Healthy and Prosperous Africa

Africa Press Day 2026 revealed a clear convergence of perspectives: health is no longer merely a social expense; it is a strategic investment capable of generating lasting economic, social, and human benefits.

Key pillars for sustainable African development emerged:

Equitable access to care.
Strengthened health systems.
Scientific and technological innovation.
Prevention‑focused policies.
Targeted financing.

The forum also highlighted the central role of media in crafting a new African health narrative, where information and awareness become tools of transformation. As speakers reiterated, investing in the health of Africans today protects future generations, upholds human dignity, and fuels the continent’s economic growth.

In sum, the blend of strategic investments, coherent storytelling, and innovative solutions is the key to building a resilient, equitable health system that can catalyse lasting change—bringing the African vision for 2063—a prosperous, inclusive, and sovereign continent—closer to reality.