News

African legislators and healthcare stakeholders will gather in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 6–7 March 2025 for the annual meeting of the Network of African Parliamentary Committees of Health (NEAPACOH) to discuss strategies for improving health systems and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals across the continent. The meeting, organised by the Partnership for Population and Development Africa Regional Office (PPD ARO), African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), and other partners, will bring together legislators serving in health committees across Africa, researchers, and development partners. 

Themed Re-positioning the Role of Parliamentarians for Implementation of the Unfinished ICPD agenda and Attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC): South to South Sharing of Lessons and Good Practices, the 16th NEAPACOH meeting will explore evidence-based approaches to tackling Africa’s most pressing health challenges.  

The meeting will also focus on domestic health financing, particularly the implementation of the Africa Leadership Meeting (ALM) commitment to increasing national investments in healthcare.  

Another key agenda item is Africa’s demographic dividend and how strategic investments in adolescent health, education, and employment can transform the region’s socio-economic trajectory.  

The burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) will also take centre stage, with a focus on increasing national budgets for NCDs prevention and treatment.  

AFIDEP’s Executive Director, Dr. Eliya Zulu, will deliver remarks during the opening ceremony of the meeting. Dr Jackson Otieno, Senior Research and Policy Analyst will provide insights on “A Review of Trends in Official Development Assistance in the Health Sector: How Effective is ODA as a Health Financing Model?” during a session on domestic health financing.  

AFIDEP will also be part of the pre-conference taking place on 5 March. The Institute, under the FP-Impact Consortium, will have a side session, ‘Interventions and Strategies for Advancing SRHR: Insights and Key Lessons from African Countries on Fulfilling SRHR Commitments’. And under the LIGHT Consortium, AFIDEP will have a session, “Optimising Gendered Pathways in TB Prevention and Care in Africa.” 

The NEAPACOH meeting serves as a platform for evidence-informed policy discussions, enabling African parliamentarians to exchange best practices and commit to actionable resolutions that advance health and development on the continent.