AHF takes Health Sovereignty push to the World Health Summit

Oluwakemi Gbadamosi, Deputy Executive Director of the AHF Global Public Health Institute

As global health leaders gather in United Nations Office at Nairobi from April 27 to 29 for the World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2026, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is calling for pandemic preparedness anchored in equity, accountability, and shared global responsibility.

Held under the theme “Reimagining Africa’s Health Systems: Innovation, Integration, and Interdependence,” the summit has drawn more than 1,000 participants from governments, civil society, and international organizations. The meeting comes as many African countries continue to grapple with limited health financing, with average per capita spending estimated at about US$17—far below the roughly US$60 considered necessary to deliver essential health services.

The Nairobi deliberations coincide with parallel negotiations in Geneva at the World Health Organization during the World Health Assembly, where member states are working to finalize the Pandemic Agreement and the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system. The frameworks are expected to shape how countries prepare for and respond to future pandemics, including the sharing of biological data and resulting medical innovations.

AHF says the simultaneous discussions highlight underlying tensions in global health governance. “We are in two rooms at the same time, talking about the same problem,” said Dr. Samuel Kinyanjui, AHF Kenya Country Director. “In Geneva, decisions are being made about sharing benefits from pathogen data. In Nairobi, we are asking whether Africa will continue depending on others or build the capacity to protect its own people.”

At the Nairobi summit, AHF is positioning itself as both a service provider and an advocate for structural reform. The organization is hosting an exhibition booth showcasing its HIV and broader public health programs, while engaging policymakers, partners, and community stakeholders.

AHF will also convene a fireside discussion on pandemic preparedness and the PABS system, bringing together civil society actors, policy leaders, and international partners to address equitable access, global cooperation, and Africa’s priorities in future health responses.

“The Pandemic Agreement cannot be meaningful without a fair and enforceable PABS system,” said Oluwakemi Gbadamosi, Deputy Executive Director of the AHF Global Public Health Institute. “Countries that share pathogen data must be guaranteed access to the vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments developed from that data.”

The organization is advocating for binding commitments, including mandatory benefit-sharing, equitable access to health technologies, expanded technology transfer, and stronger accountability mechanisms to ensure transparency in the use of pathogen data.

As talks continue in both Nairobi and Geneva, AHF is urging global leaders to treat the moment as a critical test of international solidarity. It argues that pandemic preparedness must avoid repeating inequalities seen in past health crises, where access to life-saving tools was uneven.

Alongside its summit activities, AHF is participating in the HENET Mini-Symposium, contributing civil society perspectives on innovation and global health systems, while maintaining active media engagement.

“As civil society, we stand ready to push and collaborate with governments, development partners, and stakeholders to advance sustainable health solutions that secure the health and dignity of all people now and for future generations,” said Diana Tibesigwa, AHF Regional Advocacy and Policy Manager.

The organization is also working with the Resilience Action Network Africa (RANA) to convene a civil society caucus aimed at aligning advocacy strategies ahead of key global decision points, including the World Health Assembly and upcoming high-level meetings on pandemic preparedness.

AHF warns that global health priorities risk being overshadowed by geopolitical and economic considerations, insisting that future responses must be built on fairness and cooperation.

“The decisions made now will determine the shape of the next global response,” the organization said. “It will either be built on equity and cooperation, or on the same disparities the world has already lived through.”