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Africa’s Largest Healthcare Event Gears up for a Return to In-Person Business in 2022 

 

With Africa’s economies and health systems beginning to recover from the devastating Covid-19 pandemic, the region’s focus must once again return to meeting the healthcare goals and standards set out in the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These include improving maternal care, reducing child mortality rates, and achieving continent-wide UHC coverage. 

Similarly, to achieve the SDG goals to which African nations have committed - especially Goal 3, which envisions UHC, good health and well-being across all ages by 2030 - Africa will have to prioritise the accessibility, quality and resilience of its healthcare systems going forward. Despite bearing 25% of the global disease burden, Africa is served by only 2% of the world’s healthcare professionals. 

The solutions to overcoming the continent’s health challenges are multifaceted and include health systems strengthening; committed leadership; human resources (quality and capacity); improving quality and incorporating technology into healthcare.  

The 11th annual Africa Health Congress and Exhibition, which this year will see a highly anticipated return to in-person gatherings after last year’s fully digital online offering, will bring together healthcare industry influencers and thought leaders from various disciplines in an attempt to facilitate the advancement of healthcare in the region. The congress will cater to the continent’s healthcare professionals and policymakers who will discuss, debate and share strategies  that are shaping the future of medicine, whilst also evaluating the latest disruptors driving the transformation of healthcare. 

The 2022 Congress, which will run from 26 - 28 October at Johannesburg’s Gallagher Convention Centre, is expected to host over 8000 people representing 56 countries. CPD-accredited clinical and leadership conference tracks, including quality management; public health; imaging and diagnostics; healthcare management and nursing will enable delegates to earn CPD points for attending.  

This educational content, delivered over three days, will provide an opportunity for delegates to engage with industry leaders and peers as well as participate in the 450-strong exhibition which promises to showcase the latest in healthcare technology and innovation.

This year’s event also includes Medlab Africa, the leading platform for medical laboratories in Sub-Saharan Africa. The pandemic has ushered in a sharp increase in the use of technology and brought into stark reality the need for further digital solutions in Africa’s healthcare systems. 

One promising prospect is telemedicine, or remote-access healthcare, which rose to the fore during the pandemic. Telemedicine has the potential not only to make healthcare more accessible but to bring quality healthcare, via satellite or cellular communication, to hard-to-reach remote locations where access to formal healthcare services may be limited or even non-existent. Furthermore, remote consultations with scarce specialists (who tend to be based within urban centres and academic institutions) could bring better quality care to more people, regardless of geographical distance, and in many cases could eliminate the need for costly long-distance travel in order to access facilities.To address the need for system-wide information systems that will provide cohesive information across multiple programmatic areas in the interest of healthy and sustainable outcomes, the WHO has proposed the adoption of a Digital Health Platform.  

Emerging technologies like biometrics and telemedicine gained a foothold on the continent. AI, big data, and machine learning algorithms are now being used in diverse applications across the medical field: epidemiological tracking (enabled by Africa’s rapid smartphone uptake); examination and analysis of X-rays and scans; identifying drug molecules; and planning the details of national-scale intervention strategies, to name a few.

Africa Health 2022 will include a ‘Transformation Zone’ which will see trailblazers who are revolutionising healthcare across the continent share their thoughts on the biggest issues driving industry and explore strategies for meaningful innovation within the African context. For the first time, Africa Health will offer a Product Showcases session that will see select small and medium-sized health care companies showcase their latest innovative solutions and leading-edge products. The strength and calibre of offerings available at this year's Africa Health is a strong indication of a healthcare industry determined to build resilience into Africa’s healthcare systems.

The conference programme has been geared towards cultivating sound governance, promoting the adoption of UHC principles and ensuring that all African people have access to quality healthcare.  The Africa Health event will provide an invaluable networking opportunity whether you’d like to source products, make new investments, gain new knowledge or strengthen business ties with the healthcare community.