New Year, New Horizons for Health in Africa -

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At the dawn of this new year, the entire Afiyafrica team extends its warmest congratulations to all stakeholders in Africa’s medical and health sector: healthcare professionals, researchers, public decision-makers, community-based organizations, technical and financial partners, as well as the populations themselves—the true pillars of the continent’s health systems.

The past year was marked by notable progress in Africa’s medical and health sector. Despite constraints and persistent challenges, Africa has demonstrated a growing capacity to innovate, organize, and respond to public health issues. The strengthening of primary healthcare systems, the gradual improvement of vaccination coverage, the rise of digital health, the growing momentum of local research, and the increased integration of community-based approaches all reflect a genuine positive dynamic.

Significant progress has also been observed in the fight against communicable diseases, the management of non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, as well as in the growing recognition of mental health as a public health priority.

These achievements, though still fragile, are the result of collective efforts and a sustained commitment to placing health at the heart of Africa’s human and economic development.

However, the new year also calls for realism, as major challenges remain. Inequalities in access to healthcare persist, particularly between urban and rural areas. Technical platforms remain insufficient in many regions, limiting diagnostic and therapeutic capacities. The shortage and unequal distribution of human resources for health continue to weigh heavily on the quality of care.

Added to this are increasing pressures related to demographic and epidemiological transitions, security crises, climate change, and socio-economic vulnerabilities.

In the face of these challenges, solutions do exist but must be strengthened. Sustained investment in health systems, with a strong emphasis on domestic financing, is a strategic necessity. Training, valuing, and retaining health professionals is an essential lever for building efficient and equitable healthcare services.

Innovation—whether technological, organizational, or social—must be contextualized and designed based on African realities, drawing on local knowledge and the active participation of communities. Regional and pan-African cooperation remains a key tool for pooling resources, harmonizing policies, and strengthening the continent’s health sovereignty.

In this new year, Afiyafrica reaffirms its commitment to being a space for information, reflection, and advocacy in the service of health in Africa—a space that highlights successes, questions shortcomings, amplifies the voices of frontline actors, and helps inform decision-making.

May this year be one of boldness, solidarity, and collective action. Because investing in health in Africa means investing in the future of the continent.

We wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year, under the banner of a healthier Africa.