Plenaries – 8th Annual AFREhealth Conference

Day	Time	Plenary	Details
Day 1: Monday 22 September 2025	8:30 – 10:00	Plenary 1: Welcome and Panel Discussion	Welcome and Framing the Conference Prof Nelson Sewankambo – President, African Forum for Research and Education in Health Panel Discussion: Subtheme 1 – Emergency Preparedness and Management of Infectious, Neglected Tropical, and Non-Communicable Diseases Dr. Ambrose Talisuna – World Health Organisation Nebiyu Dereje – Director, Division of Knowledge Management and Editor-in-Chief, Africa CDC Journal of Public Health in Africa (JPHIA) Jean Nachega – University of Pittsburgh
	10:30 – 12:00	Plenary 2	Topic: Strengthening Research and Development, and Scientific Publishing Capacity of African Health Researchers: Africa CDC Initiatives and Call to Action Convener: Africa CDC – Centre for Science and Innovation Panel/Speakers: TBD
	4:15 – 5:30	Plenary 3: Opening Ceremony	Welcome Address: Pr. Serigne Magueye Gueye – Chair, Local Organising Committee, GloCaRe Prof Nelson Sewankambo – African Forum for Research and Education in Health Opening Remarks: Dr Ibrahim Sy – Minister for Health, Senegal Goodwill Messages: Dr Moctar Toure – National Academy of Sciences, Senegal Dr Roger Glass – President, CMB Foundation Keynote Address: Dr. Melchior Athanase Joël C. Aissi – Director-General, West Africa Health Organization
Day 2: Tuesday 23 September 2025	8:30 – 10:00	Plenary 4	Annual General Meeting
	10:30 – 12:00	Plenary 5: Subtheme 2 – Advancing Research, Innovation, and Technology (including AI & Digital Health) Relevant to Africa’s Needs	Topic: Research, Technology, and AI: The new dawn in healthcare delivery – Lydia Aziato, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ghana Topic: Covering key challenges and breakthroughs in health education, research, and policy – TBD
	2:30 – 4:00	Plenary 6: Panel Discussion – Subtheme 3: Building a Sustainable Health Workforce to Address Africa’s Priority Health Challenges	Tegbar Yigzaw – Former Chief of Party, Jhpiego Ethiopia, currently Jhpiego Rwanda Ahmed Taha – GAHAR Keith Martin – Consortium of Universities for Global Health Zehirun Abebe Bekele – University of Global Health Equity James Avoka Asamani – WHO AFRO
Day 3: Wednesday 24 September 2025	7:00 – 8:30	Special Group Meetings
	8:30 – 10:00	Plenary 7: Subtheme 4 – Tackling Climate Change and Health: Strategies for Resilience	Topic: Research, Reveal, Reflect, Reform: Empowering Resilience in African Health Systems and Workforce Responses to the Challenges of One Health and Climate Change – Professor Oladele Ogunseitan, Consortium of Universities for Global Health Topic: Understanding the Gap: Roles of One Health Researchers and Policy Makers in the Era of Climate Crisis – Umar Ibrahim, Federal University Dutse, Nigeria
	1:00 – 2:30	Plenary 8: Panel Discussion – How Do We Build Forward Better? Opportunities Across Sectors to Improve Global Health Outcomes	Keith Martin – Consortium of Universities for Global Health Nelson Sewankambo – Makerere University Joe Kolars – University of Michigan
	4:00 – 5:30	Plenary 9: Closing Ceremony	Highlights of the Conference: Coumba Toure-Kane – Chair, Scientific Subcommittee, Local Organizing Committee Message from AFREhealth President: Nelson Sewankambo – AFREhealth Presentation of Awards: Nelson Sewankambo, Georgina Yeboah – AFREhealth Highlights of 9th Annual Conference: TBD Vote of Thanks: Georgina Yeboah – Executive Director, AFREhealth Closing: Minister of Higher Education, Senegal