CPHIA 2026 — 5th International Conference on Public Health in Africa
23–27 November 2026 · Addis Ababa, Ethiopia · In person
Theme: "Africa's Health Security and Sovereignty: Transformation from health dependency and vulnerability to ownership and resilience."
The International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA) is the flagship annual conference of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the African Union Member States. Its fifth edition is co-hosted by Africa CDC and the Government of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa — the diplomatic capital of Africa and home of the African Union — and is expected to draw 30,000+ in-person and virtual delegates from across the continent and the global health community.
CPHIA is the largest platform where African political leaders, ministers of health, policymakers, scientists, programme implementers, private sector actors, civil society and youth meet in one room. The 2026 edition is framed squarely around health financing and self-reliance: how African countries move away from dependence on external aid toward domestically owned, sustainably financed and resilient health systems.
Conference tracks
CPHIA 2026 is organised around six tracks, each with six to seven sub-tracks:
- Elevating Africa as a leader in a reformed and inclusive global health architecture — putting Africa at the centre of continental and global priority setting.
- Institutionalisation of Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness & Response in Africa — public health threats and continental health security.
- African stakeholders' empowerment and alignment to predictable, innovative and blended financing — sustainable health financing for universal health coverage.
- Primary health care, digital transformation and AI-enabled health systems — evidence-based service delivery at the primary care level.
- Unlocking opportunities for local manufacturing in Africa — building the continent's ability to manufacture its own health products.
- Climate, health security and African resilience — climate change and One Health.
What to expect
- High-level policy dialogue with Heads of State and Government, ministers, global health leaders and the diplomatic corps.
- Over 100 scientific sessions presenting cutting-edge African research and innovation.
- Innovation, financing and investment showcases for African health products and technologies.
- Awards and recognition celebrating excellence in African health research, with a particular focus on young scientists.
- Networking with delegates from every African Union Member State, alongside the cultural programme of the host city.
Calls for participation
Several calls run with a 15 August 2026 deadline: abstracts (research aligned to the six tracks), side events (host your own session during conference week), exhibitions (showcase innovations and technologies) and scholarships (travel support awarded on the strength of submitted abstracts). Corporate sponsorship and exhibition packages (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) are open on rolling review. At the time of listing the abstract portal had not yet gone live — interested authors should watch the official Open Calls pages.
Registration
Registration categories and conference details are published on the official registration page; delegates create an account on the CPHIA portal to register. Fees had not been published at the time of listing.
CPHIA's track record
CPHIA has run since 2021: virtual (2021, 12,000+ participants), Kigali, Rwanda (2022, 14,000+), Lusaka, Zambia (2023, 35,000+ in-person and virtual) and Durban, South Africa (2025, 17,000+ — "The Durban Promise"). Addis Ababa 2026 is the fifth edition.
Who should attend
Public health professionals and epidemiologists, health policymakers and ministry officials, infectious disease and pandemic preparedness specialists, health economists and financing experts, digital health and AI practitioners, pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturers, researchers and academics, NGO and development partners, and students and early-career scientists in global health.
