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WHA79: Why It Matters for Civil Society in Africa

Decisions in Geneva, Impact in Communities: Understanding the World Health Assembly and Why It Matters for Civil Society in Africa

Ahead of WHA79 in May, find more information about the World Health Assembly and featured sessions on universal health coverage and the global health architecture reform.


Each year, global health leaders gather in Geneva to make decisions that shape health systems around the world. But for many civil society organizations and communities, the World Health Assembly can feel distant and difficult to engage with.

With this year’s World Health Assembly taking place next week, this explainer aims to demystify this global event and highlight practical ways that communities and civil society organizations in Africa can get involved.

What is the World Health Assembly?

The World Health Assembly (WHA) is the main decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN) agency dedicated to promoting and delivering global public health and access to health care.

Every year, generally in May, representatives (also known as “delegates”) from all Member States come together to set new health objectives, targets, and strategies that will guide their own public health work and the work of the WHO Secretariat.

The Assembly also oversees financial policies, approves the WHO’s budget, monitors progress in implementing work areas, and devises strategies to address gaps. Another function includes voting to appoint the organization’s Director-General for a five-year term.

The 79th World Health Assembly (WHA79) will take place 18–23 May 2026.

What’s on the agenda this year?

The agenda for the World Health Assembly changes each year and is determined by the organization’s Executive Board. The Executive Board is made up of 34 technical experts from Member States that have been elected by the WHA to serve three-year terms. The Executive Board meets every January to determine the agenda and any resolutions that will be brought to the World Health Assembly for consideration.

This year, key agenda topics include:

  • Pandemic preparedness: shaping how countries prevent and respond to future health emergencies
  • Health financing and Universal Health Coverage (UHC): determining how health systems are funded and who can access care
  • Global health architecture reform: rethinking how global health institutions operate and who has a voice in decision-making

The WHA is important for civil society because it is a critical opportunity to influence decisions around health priorities, strategies, and funding, call for greater accountability and transparency in WHO’s decision-making and activities, and advocate for affected and marginalized communities.

As an African regional advocacy organization, WACI Health works to influence and shape discussions and outcomes at the World Health Assembly by convening CSOs throughout the year through our platforms to advocate on important health topics affecting the region.

How Civil Society Can Get Involved

This year, there are many exciting side events at WHA that communities, CSOs, and individuals can register to join virtually. This includes:

Global health architecture reform

  • Tuesday 19 May: 1300-1500: What does global health architecture reform have to do with universal health coverage?
  • Wednesday 20 May: 1400-1530: Fit for All: Pathways and Priorities for Global Health Architecture Reform

These sessions are hosted by the Health Architecture Reimagined Civil Society Organizations Consortium (HEAR CSO), of which WACI Health is a consortium member. 

Register here (in-person and online): https://forms.gle/nzXKg1Lds7bBT5va9

Universal Health Coverage (UHC)

  • Monday 18 May: From Gaps to Gains: Delivering UHC through gender-responsive health systems
  • Monday 18 May: Launch of the UHC2030 narrative on digital transformation of health systems for universal health coverage
  • Tuesday 19 May: The Social Participation Village: Where every voice shapes health governance

The Civil Society Engagement Mechanism for UHC2030 page includes information on how to register for these events, as well as many more (in-person and online)! 

The World Health Assembly may take place in Geneva, but its outcomes are felt far beyond it. For civil society, engaging in these processes is not optional – it is essential to ensuring that global decisions reflect local realities.

We encourage communities and civil society organizations in Africa to mobilize and engage with the WHA. Together, our voices are stronger, and our impact can be greater!

CategoriesWACI Health News
byWACI Health

Civil Society Demands for the Africa Forward Summit

Africa Forward? Not Without Us
Civil society demands people-centred investments in health on eve of Nairobi Summit

African and French civil society organisations launch a statement ahead of the Africa Forward Summit, calling on Heads of State to place equity, and community-led priorities at the heart of the Nairobi Declaration and carry that agenda forward to the G7.

NAIROBI, 10 May 2026 — On the eve of the Africa Forward Summit, a coalition of community and civil society organisations from across Africa and France launched a joint statement calling on Heads of States and government representatives convening in Nairobi to prioritise investments in health, and ensure that the partnerships are built on equity, country leadership, and the lived realities of the people health systems are meant to serve.

The statement, “No Health Sovereignty Without People-Centred Partnerships,” comes as the Africa Forward Summit co-hosted by President William Ruto and President Emmanuel Macron opens in Nairobi on 11 and 12 May. The hosts have named resilient health systems as one of the themes of the Summit and its outcome document, the Nairobi Declaration, will feed into the G7 Heads of State Summit in Évian in June.

“You cannot drive Africa forward without strengthening health systems, and you cannot speak about health without putting people at the centre,” said Rosemary Mburu (Executive Director, WACI Health), speaking at today’s briefing, “Sovereignty is a pathway with milestones, and solidarity means partners journeying with African nations along that pathway guided by national priorities, not isolation.”

Signed by over 100 civil society organisations from 32 countries, the statement makes three central asks of leaders gathered in Nairobi:

  • Treat health as a strategic driver of security and shared prosperity, invest in the people who deliver care, and ensure innovations reach vulnerable communities.
  • In the context of global health architecture reform, lead with national priorities and center the perspectives of communities and civil society.
  • Optimise financing for global health security by ensuring that external financing catalyses sovereignty, including by strengthening local and regional manufacturing, and by increasing domestic investments in health.

The Summit lands at a moment when the partnership model that underpinned two decades of progress against HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria is at risk. The Global Fund’s 8th Replenishment in 2025 secured US$12.64 billion, falling short of the US$18 billion target. The partnership has saved 70 million lives over the last two decades and this gap threatens the progress we are making toward ending these epidemics. 

The shortfall is also a reflection of a broader trend of funding cuts for health and development. As evidenced by the impact of the U.S. funding cuts in 2025, it is communities that pay the price with disrupted treatments, stockouts, and rising out-of-pocket costs for the poorest patients as well as the collapsing contracts of already-underpaid community health workers. 

Resilient health systems start with the people. The question facing leaders in Nairobi is not whether global solidarity still matters, but whether the next generation of cooperation for health will be designed in partnership with communities, reflecting lived realities. 

“African parliaments are watching this Summit closely. We want to see results translate into functioning clinics and mothers who survive childbirth,” said Hon. Modou Lamin B. Bah, Member of the National Assembly of The Gambia and Chairman of the Network of African Parliamentary Committees on Health (NEAPACOH). “Sovereignty cannot be declared from a podium. It has to be legislated and accounted for at home.”

The statement reaffirms that health sovereignty and global solidarity are two expressions of the same commitment to a healthier, safer world. Sovereignty is built through domestic investments that center people’s needs and external financing that is aligned with those national priorities.

“When our African leaders commit to sovereignty and partners such as France commit to equitable partnerships, communities are not looking for new language. We are looking for a real change in our daily lives,” added Carol Nawina Nyirenda, executive director of the Community Initiative for Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria (CITAMplus) based in Zambia, “The true test for the Summit is simple – will a woman in our community still have to choose between her health and her livelihood?”

Civil society partners also noted that the statement builds on a series of regional and global processes in recent months, including the One Health Summit in Lyon in April, the World Health Summit Regional Meeting in Nairobi, the C7 Global Health Working Group declaration to the G7, and the Africa Health Security and Sovereignty Agenda adopted at the African Union Summit. 

The statement is being shared with African and French delegations at the Summit and will travel into the broader G7 process leading to the June Heads of State Summit.

The full statement and signatory list are here.

###

Olivia Ngou, Executive Director of Impact Santé Afrique, and Rosemary Mburu, Executive Director of WACI Health (Press Briefing, 10 May 2026)

About WACI Health:

WACI Health is an African regional advocacy organization that champions an end to life-threatening epidemics and advances health for all, shaping political priorities through an effective, evidence-driven Pan-African civil society voice and action.

WACI Health hosts or co-hosts networks of communities and civil society, including the African Civil Society Platform for Health (CiSPHA), the Global Fund Advocates Network (GFAN) Africa, the Civil Society Engagement Mechanism for UHC2030 (CSEM), Africa free of HIV infections (AfNHi), and Youth Leaders for Health (YL4H). It is also playing a convening role in the global health reform dialogues as a member of the HEAR CSO (Health Architecture Reimagined Civil Society Organizations) Consortium.

Media contact:

Carthi Mannikarottu
Communications Lead, WACI Health
carthi@wacihealth.org

CategoriesWACI Health News
byWACI Health

Centering Community Voices in Maternal Health: SUPREME Secure CCSE Update

As part of the SUPREME Secure consortium, WACI Health is sharing updates from its Communities and Civil Society Engagement (CCSE) workstream. This partnership is helping ensure that the people most affected by pre-eclampsia and maternal anaemia actively shape how lifesaving diagnostics and treatments are developed, introduced, and delivered.

This update covers activities from January to March 2026, including focus group discussions with over 60 participants across Kenya, Tanzania, and Ghana; a pre-IMNHC webinar reaching 150+ participants; contributions to country co-creation workshops; and the launch of a small grants call to support community-led advocacy.

Read the full update below.

CategoriesWACI Health News
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No Woman Should Die While Giving Life: A Reflection on Pre-Eclampsia and Maternal Health


No Woman Should Die While Giving Life: A Reflection on Pre-Eclampsia and Maternal Health

By Brenda Bonareri, Policy and Advocacy Officer, WACI Health

“We believe that no woman should die while giving life, and every birth should have positive outcomes for both mother and newborn. They should survive because maternal and neonatal complications are preventable.”
– Joyce Ng’anga, WACI Health

Some events stay with you long after the final speaker signs off. Our recent webinar on pre-eclampsia and women’s voices was one of them.

“Saving Lives of Mothers and Newborns – Women’s Voices on Pre-Eclampsia: A Conversation to Drive Change Ahead of IMNHC 2026”

Taking place in the lead up to global leaders and experts gathering at the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference (IMNHC) 2026, the discussion brought together SUPREME project partners, civil society, and communities directly impacted by pre-eclampsia and placed women’s lived experiences at the center.

For me, the event was a powerful reminder that maternal mortality and neonatal complications are not just statistics but lived realities for thousands of women and families across Kenya and Africa.

I was particularly moved by the pre-eclampsia diaries video produced by Action on Preeclampsia Ghana (APEC Ghana), which gave voice to powerful testimonies from four women who have faced this life-threatening condition.

“I couldn’t believe that at 32 weeks I could just lose my baby, whereas I could feel the baby moving that morning. I was in denial. I still have a hard time talking about it.”
– Hannah Yebuah-Amo, a customer service executive and pre-eclampsia survivor.

From the discussion, the critical truth that women are often not given timely, actionable information during antenatal care was underscored. As Catherine Kakolo Mongella of Thrive Beyond Pre-eclampsia Foundation (TPEF) in Tanzania noted, many women only receive crucial information when complications have already developed. This gap in early awareness continues to cost lives.

“As a mother, once you are pregnant, you are focused on the end game which is holding the child in your hands. If you are told to stop doing something, you will be keen.”
– Catherine Kakolo Mongella, TPEF

Similarly, Ashley Muteti of Zuri Nzilani Foundation in Kenya highlighted how health systems fail women who have experienced loss. Too often, they are not supported with the information or care needed to safely navigate future pregnancies. She spoke about the need to champion and embrace pre-conception care, and equip these women with information on when they need to seek care. There is also a need for expanding support groups and leveraging community health volunteers as essential steps to bridge this gap.

Reflecting on these realities, Koiwah Koi-Larbi of APEC Ghana emphasized that these stories are a powerful reminder of the lived reality for many women and a call to do better. The next time we see such stories, she noted, they should reflect progress, particularly in improving timely access to care.

“Care—no matter how quality it is—if not given on time, it is useless.”
– Koiwah Koi-Larbi, APEC Ghana

My key takeaway from the webinar was about the persistent systemic gaps: delayed diagnosis, limited access to quality diagnostics, late or inadequate care, and low awareness of pre-eclampsia symptoms at the community level. These are not new challenges but they remain dangerously unaddressed for far too many women.

The webinar featured the newly-launched Unitaid SUPREME project, which brings together leading partners, including Clinton Health Access Initiative (for the SECURE component) and Amref Health Africa (for the LIFELINES component), to scale up access to interventions for the timely detection and treatment of pre-eclampsia and anaemia in pregnant women.

WACI Health is part of the SUPREME SECURE project where we will contribute to ensuring that the introduction and scaling of diagnostics, treatments, and tools reflect the voices of the communities and reach women who need them most—particularly those often left behind. As an organization committed to advancing health equity across Africa, we continue to champion the role of civil society and community accountability in shaping how health solutions are designed, delivered, and measured.

We cannot discuss ending preventable maternal and neonatal deaths without centering the voices of those most affected!

CategoriesWACI Health News
byWACI Health

WACI Health Joins SUPREME: Unitaid Initiative to Tackle Pre-eclampsia and Anaemia

As a partner in the SUPREME Secure consortium, WACI Health will contribute to efforts to ensure diagnostics and treatments for pre-eclampsia and anaemia reach women who need them most.

WACI Health is proud to be part of SUPREME Secure, a consortium within the new Sustained Uptake of Products for Pre-Eclampsia and Maternal Anemia (SUPREME) initiative, backed by a US$52.5 million investment from Unitaid with additional funding from the Gates Foundation.

Announced on 19 March 2026, SUPREME brings together two of Africa’s most experienced global health implementers — the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and Amref Health Africa — alongside a coalition of partners to introduce and scale up existing interventions and emerging innovations for the timely detection and treatment of pre-eclampsia and anaemia in pregnant women.

Pre-eclampsia, a hypertensive disorder that can cause dangerous spikes in blood pressure and seizures, causes the death of tens of thousands of women and half a million newborns each year. Anaemia affects nearly 40 percent of all pregnant women globally and increases the risk of serious complications including haemorrhage, preterm birth, and low birth weight.

Lifesaving tools to address these conditions already exist from magnesium sulfate, which costs less than a dollar and can more than halve the risk of life-threatening seizures, to low-dose aspirin, blood-pressure screening devices, and intravenous iron. Yet supply chain gaps, substandard quality, late diagnosis, and undertrained health workers continue to prevent many women in low- and middle-income countries from accessing them.

Our role

SUPREME Secure, one of the initiative’s two implementation streams, is led by CHAI and includes WACI Health, the Concept Foundation, the Aurum Institute, and the Burnet Institute. The consortium focuses on the product side of the equation: ensuring that the medicines, diagnostics, and tools women need are rigorously tested, reliably supplied, and priced within reach of the health systems serving them.

WACI Health’s contribution sits at the intersection of advocacy and accountability. We are working to ensure that community voices and civil society perspectives are embedded in how these products are introduced and scaled, and that policy commitments translate into practice at the country level.

The SUPREME initiative will focus on Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Senegal, and Tanzania, working with ministries of health to strengthen antenatal care services and ensure essential maternal health tools reach facilities where they are needed most. Select activities will also take place in Nigeria and South Africa.

A companion stream, SUPREME Lifelines, is led by Amref Health Africa with Jhpiego, Solthis, and Market Access Africa, and focuses on in-country product introduction and implementation research to guide scale-up as part of effective models of care.

SUPREME reflects the kind of multi-partner, systems-level investment that the maternal and newborn health community has long called for. This is an initiative that addresses not just whether effective tools exist, but whether they actually reach the women who need them. As an organisation rooted in achieving health equity across Africa, WACI Health is committed to ensuring that civil society and community accountability remain central to how this initiative is designed, delivered, and measured.

Connect with us in Nairobi

The SUPREME announcement comes as the global maternal and newborn health community gathers in Nairobi for the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference (IMNHC 2026), held 23–26 March under the theme “Moving Forward. Together.” The conference is a critical moment for the sector to review the evidence, strengthen accountability, and catalyse new partnerships and investments to ensure mothers and newborns not only survive but thrive.

SUPREME consortium partners including CHAI and Unitaid are presenting across multiple sessions on maternal health product access and innovation. Follow us on LinkedIn/X/Facebook for updates from the conference.

CategoriesWACI Health News Press Release
byWACI Health

WACI Health Executive Director Rosemary Mburu Named to TIME100 Health

Time100 Health Honoree, Rosemary Mburu

WACI Health Executive Director Rosemary Mburu Named to TIME100 Health

NAIROBI, KENYA — WACI Health is proud to announce that Executive Director Rosemary Mburu has been named to the 2026 TIME100 Health List, an annual ranking of the 100 most influential individuals transforming the global health landscape.

The honour recognises Rosemary’s visionary advocacy and reflects the collective impact of WACI Health and our partners in strengthening civil society leadership in Africa and globally.

This recognition comes at a critical juncture when civil society leadership is essential to driving health equity and sustainable financing for health for the continent. As traditional development assistance undergoes massive realignments, WACI Health has been at the forefront of championing global solidarity expressed through multilateral institutions such as the Global Fund, domestic resource mobilisation, sustainable financing for health, regional manufacturing, and health sovereignty.

Through coalition-building, policy advocacy, and strategic partnerships, WACI Health works alongside communities and civil society to ensure African voices shape the decisions that affect our health and our futures. 

 “I am honoured to be included among such powerful health leaders,” said Rosemary Mburu. “I accept this in the name of the community of global health advocates around the world, working tirelessly to defend health and well-being, especially for the most marginalised. Our voice is not just a ‘perspective’ but rather, the blueprint for global health governance.”

At WACI Health, we believe communities and civil society must be at the forefront of health governance and financing. Whether working with directly impacted communities, youth advocates, parliamentarians, or multilateral institutions, we remain committed to building a world where all people, everywhere, can realise their right to health. We work to ensure that African civil society voices are not only heard in decision-making spaces but also, holding the pen on the policies that impact our lives.

“For too long, African expertise was sidelined in global health decision-making. Civil society platforms such as those led by WACI Health are changing that,” said Dudu Simelane, WACI Health Board Member and Director of Social and Human Development at the SADC Secretariat, “The future of global health is Africa-led. As a changemaker, Rosemary is stewarding the foundational shifts that make transformative change inevitable. As a Board, we are proud of Rosemary – she is really the leader that Africa needs at this time of major global shifts in health.”

We thank TIME for acknowledging that the future of global health depends on who is heard, who is trusted, and who leads. We also celebrate the communities and partners across Africa whose leadership and commitment make this movement possible.

 

###

 

About WACI Health:

WACI Health is an African regional advocacy organization that champions an end to life-threatening epidemics and advances health for all, shaping political priorities through an effective, evidence-driven Pan-African civil society voice and action.

WACI Health hosts or co-hosts networks of communities and civil society, including the African Civil Society Platform for Health (CiSPHA), the Global Fund Advocates Network (GFAN) Africa, the Civil Society Engagement Mechanism for UHC2030 (CSEM), Africa free of HIV infections (AfNHi), and Youth Leaders for Health (YL4H). It is also playing a convening role in the global health reform dialogues as a member of the HEAR CSO (Health Architecture Reimagined Civil Society Organizations) Consortium.

 

Media contact:

Carthi Mannikarottu
Communications Lead, WACI Health
carthi@wacihealth.org

 

Time100 Health Honoree, Rosemary Mburu

WACI Health Executive Director Rosemary Mburu Named to TIME100 Health

NAIROBI, KENYA — WACI Health is proud to announce that Executive Director Rosemary Mburu has been named to the 2026 TIME100 Health List, an annual ranking of the 100 most influential individuals transforming the global health landscape.

The honour recognises Rosemary’s visionary advocacy and reflects the collective impact of WACI Health and our partners in strengthening civil society leadership in Africa and globally.

This recognition comes at a critical juncture when civil society leadership is essential to driving health equity and sustainable financing for health for the continent. As traditional development assistance undergoes massive realignments, WACI Health has been at the forefront of championing global solidarity expressed through multilateral institutions such as the Global Fund, domestic resource mobilisation, sustainable financing for health, regional manufacturing, and health sovereignty.

Through coalition-building, policy advocacy, and strategic partnerships, WACI Health works alongside communities and civil society to ensure African voices shape the decisions that affect our health and our futures. 

“I am honoured to be included among such powerful health leaders,” said Rosemary Mburu. “I accept this in the name of the community of global health advocates around the world, working tirelessly to defend health and well-being, especially for the most marginalised. Our voice is not just a ‘perspective’ but rather, the blueprint for global health governance.”

At WACI Health, we believe communities and civil society must be at the forefront of health governance and financing. Whether working with directly impacted communities, youth advocates, parliamentarians, or multilateral institutions, we remain committed to building a world where all people, everywhere, can realise their right to health. We work to ensure that African civil society voices are not only heard in decision-making spaces but also, holding the pen on the policies that impact our lives.

“For too long, African expertise was sidelined in global health decision-making. Civil society platforms such as those led by WACI Health are changing that,” said Dudu Simelane, WACI Health Board Member and Director of Social and Human Development at the SADC Secretariat, “The future of global health is Africa-led. As a changemaker, Rosemary is stewarding the foundational shifts that make transformative change inevitable. As a Board, we are proud of Rosemary – she is really the leader that Africa needs at this time of major global shifts in health.”

We thank TIME for acknowledging that the future of global health depends on who is heard, who is trusted, and who leads. We also celebrate the communities and partners across Africa whose leadership and commitment make this movement possible.

 

About WACI Health:

WACI Health is an African regional advocacy organization that champions an end to life-threatening epidemics and advances health for all, shaping political priorities through an effective, evidence-driven Pan-African civil society voice and action.

WACI Health hosts or co-hosts networks of communities and civil society, including the African Civil Society Platform for Health (CiSPHA), the Global Fund Advocates Network (GFAN) Africa, the Civil Society Engagement Mechanism for UHC2030 (CSEM), Africa free of HIV infections (AfNHi), and Youth Leaders for Health (YL4H). It is also playing a convening role in the global health reform dialogues as a member of the HEAR CSO (Health Architecture Reimagined Civil Society Organizations) Consortium.

Media contact:

Carthi Mannikarottu
Communications Lead, WACI Health
carthi@wacihealth.org

CategoriesGfan Forum 2025
byWACI Health

One Fabric, One Fight, One Future

One Fabric, One Fight, One Future

By Nuradeen Zakariyya.

When I speak about malaria, I do not speak as an observer, I speak as a survivor. I lost my father and baby niece to malaria. I nearly lost my mother too, and I have fought the disease myself. These experiences are not isolated tragedies; they are the daily realities of millions across Africa. Each life lost leaves a scar, but also a thread, a thread of courage, of resilience and hope. In our culture, fabric tells stories. Through the Fabric Campaign Activation, I see those stories woven together; the pain of loss interlaced with the promise of change. Each pattern becomes a voice, calling the world to remember that behind every statistic lies a human life worth saving.

As a young African and a future doctor, I believe our generation carries both the memory and the mandate, to transform grief into action and resilience into advocacy. At the GFAN Africa Youth Forum, I called on youth to use creativity, art, and storytelling to champion the Global Fund’s 8th Replenishment. Because this campaign is not just about dollars, it is about dignity, about keeping promises to the world’s most vulnerable. The Global Fund has already saved over 70 million lives, but millions more depend on what we do next. When youth raise their voices through fabric, digital art, or policy engagement, we are not just asking for funds; we are demanding a future where no child dies from a mosquito bite, no dream is ended by preventable disease, and no community is left behind. This is our story, one fabric, one fight, one future.

Author picture

Nuradeen Zakariyya is a storyteller, malaria advocate, and aspiring doctor from Nigeria who shares his personal story of loss to highlight the ongoing fight against the disease and the vital work of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Watch his story here.

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Youth Forum 2025: Young Leaders Mobilize for Global Health at TICAD!

Youth Forum 2025: Young Leaders Mobilize for Global Health at TICAD!

By Miranda Ziba

As the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) approached, young leaders from across Africa gathered at the Youth Forum 2025 to ensure health and equity remain central to the agenda. The Forum amplified the impact of the Global Fund, Japan’s leadership, and the importance of advancing gender equality framed within the context of Women’s Month.

The Global Fund has already saved over 50 million lives through its fight against HIV, TB, and malaria.Yet, with global donor fatigue threatening progress, participants underscored the urgency of sustained investments in resilient health systems. Speakers commended Japan’s long-standing partnership with the Global Fund, affirming that TICAD is a pivotal opportunity to reaffirm and strengthen this leadership.

A highlight of the Forum was an interactive session where youth co-created advocacy messages for TICAD. Using real time digital tools, participants crafted messages centered on partnership, youth empowerment, and gender equity. They expressed gratitude for Japan’s support while calling for a shared vision and collaboration to secure Africa’s future.

The Forum’s resonance was deepened by Women’s Month, spotlighting the disproportionate health challenges faced  by adolescent girls and young women. These women  remain both vulnerable and disproportionately affected by health challenges yet they are the  key drivers of resilience and progress.

The outputs from the Youth Forum including youth crafted advocacy messages  were shared online and amplified during The Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) held in Yokohama on 20th–22nd August 2025.

 “Investing in health means investing in women and girls and in Africa’s future.”

Author picture

Miranda Ziba is the Senior Programs Officer at The Youth Platform (TYP360) in Zambia and a Youth Substantive Member on the Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) in Zambia. Passionate about health equity and gender equality, she champions youth-led advocacy to amplify the voices of young people, especially adolescent girls and young women, in shaping global health agendas and building stronger, more inclusive health systems.

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South Africa–UK Parliamentary Exchange: Political Leadership for One World, One Fight

South Africa–UK Parliamentary Exchange: Political Leadership for One World, One Fight

In July, WACI Health co-led an MP exchange programme alongside STOPAIDS and South African civil society leadership.

The visit convened parliamentarians from South Africa and the United Kingdom (UK), civil society, and communities as an active representation of moving beyond transactional aid relationships toward genuine partnerships for #OneWorldOneFight – partnerships that are grounded in equity, mutual respect, and shared responsibility.

As South Africa and the UK prepare to co-host The Global Fund’s Eighth Replenishment, this exchange laid the groundwork for deeper collaboration, stronger accountability, and renewed political leadership to end HIV, TB, and malaria.

The UK delegation was in South Africa in July and the South African delegation will be visiting their UK counterparts in September 2025.

South African – UK MP Exchange Initiative
South Africa Segment Report

Day 1: Monday 28 July

The trip opened with a briefing session where the group were given an overview of the country’s context from Dr Thembi Xulu, SANAC Civil Society Forum CEO. Dr Thembi highlighted the critical opportunity and essential need to ensure equitable access to Lenacapavir for South Africa stressing that “We participated in the science, in the research but are denied the benefits”. An overview of the critical role of Unitaid and Global Fund was given by Yvette Rapahel and Mulalo Murudi, both of which institutions the UK government was a founding member of, and the critical need for a fully replenished global health architecture to ensure both access and affordability of critical health products.

The first visit was to Thembisa Clinical Trial Site, with Aurum Institute, to showcase their Increasing Market and Public Health Outcomes Through Scaling Up Affordable Access Models of Short Course Preventive Therapy For TB (IMPAACT4TB) consortium, which is funded by Unitaid and is comprised of; the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Johns Hopkins University, KNCV the Dutch TB Foundation and the Treatment Action Group (TAG) for the scale-up of short course rifapentine-based TB preventive therapy (TPT) among high-risk groups: People living with HIV (PLHIV) and child contacts of persons with active TB infection.

The project was initially focused on 3HP (a three-month, once-weekly oral treatment of rifapentine 900mg and isoniazid 900mg for 12 weeks). IMPAACT4TB project commenced with a clinical study that ascertained the safety of co-administering and dosing of 3HP and DTG (DOLPHIN).

Following the success of the study, Unitaid and the IMPAACT4TB project led negotiations that resulted in global rifapentine price reductions in 2019 and 2021. In parallel, the project facilitated the introduction of 3HP as an additional TPT option among PLHIV and household contacts of TB patients in 12 project countries (Brazil, Ethiopia, Cambodia, Indonesia, South Africa, India, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana, and Tanzania). Unitaid and the IMPAACT4TB consortium also brokered collaboration with PEPFAR, USAID, CDC the Global Fund, and other stakeholders to accelerate wider scale up of 3HP, successfully introducing 3HP in over 100 countries globally with over 12 million patient courses procured. 

The delegation were able to see first hand the critical importance of the UK’s investment in ensuring more affordable access to Rifapentine.

In the evening, the delegation were welcomed to learn more about the range of Unitaid funded projects in South Africa through a World Cafe to meet the grantees. The grantees included; CHAI, Aurum, WITS and PATH.

Day 2: Tuesday 29 July

Day 2 focused on innovative HIV prevention research, youth empowerment programmes, and advancing South Africa’s local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity, before concluding with high-level diplomatic engagement.

WITS – Project PrEP

The day began in Soshanguve at Maria Rantho Clinic, where the WITS team presented Project PrEP (Integrating PrEP into Comprehensive Services for Adolescent Girls and Young Women), a Unitaid-supported initiative with three workstreams:

  1. Implementation Science Study. Since 2018, PrEP options have been offered alongside comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services at six fixed clinics and three mobile clinics in three districts. By June 2025, 46,512 people had initiated PrEP, 72% of whom were adolescent girls and young women. A nested cohort study offers participants a choice between oral PrEP, dapivirine vaginal ring, and long-acting injectable CAB-LA.
  2. Phase 3B LEN4PrEP Study. Planned for October 2025–March 2026, this will integrate Lenacapavir (LEN) for HIV prevention into real-world services, enrolling 2,000 participants.
  3. Market Shaping. In collaboration with CHAI, the team is working with generic manufacturers to accelerate the availability of affordable long-acting PrEP and support policy, training, and health system readiness in early adopter countries.

Delegates also visited one of the mobile clinics, meeting peer educators and counsellors providing frontline prevention services.

Soshanguve Safe Space – Childline & MIET Africa
 The delegation then visited a Childline Safe Space in Tshwane, part of NACOSA’s My Journey Adolescents and Young People Programme funded by the Global Fund. This programme aims to reduce HIV incidence, teenage pregnancy, and gender-based violence while increasing school retention and economic opportunities. Activities include psychosocial support, economic strengthening, homework support, and outreach to both girls and boys, including One Man Can gender equality workshops.

MIET Africa, another NACOSA sub-recipient, provides biomedical HIV prevention, testing, and treatment at community level, contributing more than 50% of PrEP provision in Tshwane. Young women shared powerful testimonies about the support received, prompting Lord Oates to affirm, “We will take these stories home.”

CPT Regional Manufacturing Facility – Rifapentine API
In the afternoon, delegates toured CPT Pharma, a subsidiary of Chemical Processing Technologies, supported by Aurum under the IMPAACT4TB project. CPT is finalising development and pilot production of locally manufactured rifapentine active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), the main component of the 3HP TB-preventive therapy regimen. This work will establish domestic rifapentine API production capacity, with potential to expand into other APIs such as Lenacapavir in future.

Reception with the British High Commissioner
The day concluded in Pretoria at a reception hosted by British High Commissioner Antony Phillipson, providing an opportunity for reflection and further engagement with partners on the importance of sustaining and scaling innovations in HIV prevention, community support, and local manufacturing.

Day 3: Wednesday 30 July 

The final day of the programme provided delegates with an in-depth view of two key Global Fund-supported interventions addressing the needs of marginalised communities, followed by a joint Civil Society Townhall.

Visit to OST Clinic – Yeoville, Johannesburg

The day began at the Yeoville Department of Health Clinic, where delegates met with NACOSA and Anova Health Institute teams implementing the People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) Programme. The programme, funded by the Global Fund, uses a peer-led model to reduce health and human rights risks for people who inject drugs (PWID) across eight districts in South Africa. Services include opiate substitution therapy (OST), safe injecting equipment, hepatitis C and HIV screening, psychosocial support, economic empowerment, and parenting initiatives.

Delegates heard powerful testimonies from beneficiaries, including OST patients, economic empowerment participants, and needle and syringe service users. Clinical staff provided an overview of the daily operations and addressed common misconceptions about harm reduction. The group then visited a PWUD hotspot to observe outreach work in action. Lord Oates expressed his gratitude, sharing personal reflections on friends who had faced similar challenges, and commended the critical role these services play in saving lives and restoring dignity.

Visit to CPC West Rand Sex Worker Programme
The delegation then travelled to the West Rand to meet with the Centre for Positive Care (CPC), a sub-recipient of the Global Fund sex worker programme implemented by AFSA. CPC reaches over 4,000 sex workers – female, male, transgender, MSM, and minors selling sex, providing HIV prevention and treatment services, oral PrEP, economic training, and support to transition to alternative livelihoods if desired.

During discussions, sex workers highlighted ongoing human rights violations, including gender-based violence, often perpetrated by police. While many cases are resolved internally, others are settled financially or remain before the courts. A key request from participants was to increase the frequency of CPC visits from monthly to every few weeks. Ms Clarke emphasised the importance of the proposed decriminalisation of sex work bill in reducing stigma and rights abuses.

Civil Society Townhall
The programme concluded with a Civil Society Townhall in West Rand, co-hosted by UK and South African MPs alongside SANAC Civil Society Forum leaders. The session focused on the urgent need for a fully funded Global Fund to sustain progress against HIV, TB, and STIs. Participants shared lived experiences of accessing Global Fund–supported services, underscoring the importance of sustained investment to reach key and vulnerable populations, strengthen health systems, and protect global health security.

The day closed with a strong call to action for leaders at all levels to champion health equity, human rights, and sustained global health financing.

CategoriesWACI Health News
byWACI Health

WACI Health Leading Bold Push for Health Equity in C20 South Africa

The Civil 20 (C20) is an official engagement group of the G20, providing a structured space for civil society to engage with G20 leaders on critical global issues. As South Africa takes on the G20 presidency in 2025, this is a crucial moment for African voices to be at the forefront of global policy discussions.

Community and civil society organisations (CSOs) across Africa and around the world are essential in creating the inclusive and equitable policy dialogues we need at the global level.

WACI Health is honoured to join advocates for the C20 process and is co-leading the Equitable Health for All Working Group within the C20. Our leadership role reinforces our commitment to advocating for inclusive, people-centered health policies and ensuring that civil society voices remain at the heart of global health governance.

The G20, originally formed in 1999 to address global financial crises, has evolved into a strategic platform for addressing cross-cutting global challenges, including health equity. South Africa and the African Union are the permanent members of the G20 from the region. 

The C20, established in 2013, brings together civil society to engage with G20 processes and influence policy discussions. Other engagement groups for non-governmental stakeholders at the G20 include Labour 20 (L20), Women 20 (W20), and Youth 20 (Y20), among others. 

This year, the C20 engagement is coordinated through 14 Working Groups that are aligned in their roles and priorities with the G20 South Africa’s thematic areas. These C20 Working Groups will play a critical role in developing recommendations for G20 leaders in each thematic area, ensuring that people’s needs and priorities drive decisions made through the G20 process.

About the Equitable Health for All Working Group

The C20 Equitable Health for All Working Group will focus on ensuring that universal health coverage (UHC), pandemic preparedness, financing for global health, and equitable access to health care remain central to the G20 agenda.

Sizwe Nombasa Gxuluwe (Programs Manager, WACI Health) is the C20 Equitable Health for All Working Group Chairperson and also a focal point for C20 for G20 HWG. WACI Health co-leads the working group along with the National Association of People living with HIV and AIDS (NAPWA) South Africa and AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF).

Our role includes:

  • Ensuring diverse perspectives from civil society across the world inform G20 health discussions
  • Engaging with the G20 Health Working Group by actively contributing to discussions and advocating for health policies that prioritise equity, access, and sustainability
  • Hosting monthly working group meetings and leading the development of the policy brief
  • Co-developing the C20 Policy Pack, which will outline civil society’s policy recommendations for G20 leaders, alongside contributions from 13 other working groups

Through our leadership, WACI Health is committed to bringing civil society voices, particularly from the Global South, to the forefront of G20 health discussions. Our participation ensures that the perspectives of communities affected by inequitable health systems shape global health policies, funding mechanisms, and governance structures.

WACI Health has been helping establish and coordinate the C20 structure and working groups, developing the C20 Concept Note, supporting group leads, and facilitating participation. We are also contributing to implementing the communications strategy, ensuring widespread engagement and visibility of civil society recommendations.

The C20 governance is structured to promote coordinated, inclusive, and strategic civil society action for the G20 process. The governance framework includes the C20 Chair (Thulani Tshefuta) and Co-Chairs, who are responsible for steering the overall process; a C20 Sherpa (Mabalane Mfundisi), who serves as the main point of contact with G20 representatives and other stakeholders; and a Secretariat (led by Nhlanhla Ndlovu), which provides logistical support and coordination.

A C20 Steering Committee ensures the C20 remains an open and diverse space for civil society engagement. At its core is the C20 Troika, which brings together civil society representatives from the previous host country (Brazil, 2024), the current host (South Africa, 2025), and the next host (United States, 2026). This structure facilitates sustained dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and institutional memory across C20 cycles. Additionally, an International Advisory Committee (IAC), composed of international CSOs with experience with the G20, provides strategic guidance. 

How to Engage

The success of the C20 depends on our participation and collective action. We invite community advocates and civil society organisations to join the C20 working groups as early as possible. Please contact us for questions about the Equitable Health For All Working Group.

Follow C20 South Africa updates on X and WhatsApp. 

Listen to the C20 Connection podcast to learn more!

In this episode, Noko Mashilo (Show Me Your Number) interviews Nombasa Gxuluwe (WACI Health), the C20 Chairperson for the Equitable Health for All Working Group.

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