Africa charts new course on health security financing

The challenge is stark. International aid to Africa plummeted 70 percent since 2021, from US$80 billion to just $24 billion, while the continent faces a $66 billion annual health care funding gap. With 39 million more Africans at risk of poverty by 2030 due to health and economic shocks, a fundamental question emerges: Can the continent achieve health security through self-reliance?

After participating in the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Southern Africa Regional Technical Advisory Committee (ReTAC) meeting in Lilongwe earlier this year, I am convinced the answer is a resounding yes—but only through strategic partnerships that accelerate rather than replace African leadership.

The setting itself was significant. When I had the honor of addressing this distinguished assembly—graciously invited by Dr. Lul Riek, Regional Director of the Southern Africa Regional Coordinating Centre, and warmly welcomed back to Malawi, where PATH continues to support national health priorities—the room brought together esteemed leaders including Dr. Raji Tajudeen, Acting Deputy Director General and Head, Division of Public Health Institutes and Research, Africa CDC; Dr. Neema Kimambo, WHO Representative to Malawi; and Dr. Mathew Kagoli, ReTAC Chair and Director of the Public Health Institute of Malawi.

Joined by my PATH colleagues Dr. Earnest Muyunda, Southern Africa Hub Director and Country Director for Zambia, and Mr. Isaiah Onyango, Director of Program Quality Assurance and Business Development for Africa, I outlined our perspective: Successful health systems require focused execution of five critical capabilities that directly align with Africa CDC’s continental priorities and member country needs—strategic partnerships, immunization excellence, climate-health integration, private-sector engagement, and One Health implementation.

These aren’t aspirational goals; they’re operational imperatives that PATH delivers alongside African institutions.

The approach is already showing results. Take the Malawi electronic immunization registry, developed through PATH’s collaboration with the Ministry of Health. This digital system exemplifies how technology can advance both national priorities and regional integration objectives.

Since November 2024, this system has connected 47 facilities, trained 1,200 surveillance assistants, and tracked 72,400 vaccine doses with precision that feeds directly into Africa CDC’s Regional Integrated Surveillance and Laboratory Network—a continent-wide early-warning system designed to detect, track, and respond to disease outbreaks across borders.

Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera’s vision for digital health transformation, supported by PATH’s technical expertise and strategic seed funding, recognized that accurate, real-time data don’t just serve national needs—they create the foundation for regional disease surveillance and cross-border outbreak response that strengthens health security across all member states.

The defining moment came with the launch of Africa’s Health Financing in a New Era, a comprehensive framework that brought together the region’s most influential health leaders in an unprecedented display of collective commitment to African health financing.

Hon. Noah Chimpeni, MP, Deputy Minister of Health, representing the Minister of Health of Malawi, officially launched the document, marking a pivotal step toward transformative change in Africa’s health sector through domestic financing in the Southern Africa Region.

The framework is practical, not theoretical. As traditional funding streams contract and global priorities shift, Africa CDC’s strategic document provides African nations with the concrete tools to maintain and expand health security investments through three foundational pillars: domestic resource mobilization, innovative financing mechanisms like solidarity levies, and blended finance approaches that attract private capital at scale while ensuring African leadership drives health financing decisions.

What gives me hope is what I witnessed firsthand. We are seeing the emergence of African health systems designed for resilience rather than relief, though significant work lies ahead to translate this vision into practice.

The Africa CDC One Health approach, championed throughout the meeting, reflects the sophisticated understanding that sustainable health security requires integrated thinking about climate, environment, and cross-border dynamics. This holistic perspective positions African health leaders to anticipate and address threats that traditional vertical programs miss entirely.

For those of us privileged to participate in such opportunities, the responsibility is clear: contribute meaningfully while honoring the leadership that makes change possible.

PATH’s role in this evolution is deliberately supportive yet strategically essential to Africa CDC’s continental vision. Our 2022 Memorandum of Understanding with the Africa CDC creates a framework for contributing specialized expertise without compromising African ownership, directly supporting the strengthening of National Public Health Institutes across member countries.

When regional leaders need technical expertise for surveillance networks, our team provides insights that accelerate implementation. When financing strategies require private-sector engagement, our capabilities help structure sustainable partnerships that align with continental health security objectives.

The momentum I witnessed in Malawi reflects a broader continental evolution toward health systems that are resilient, innovative, and sustainably financed.

PATH’s ongoing work across the region—from supporting regulatory excellence through the African Medicines Agency to pioneering respiratory care innovation—demonstrates that meaningful partnerships can accelerate African-led solutions while building the technical capacity that ensures long-term success.