Africa Ready for the future of health

Africa’s public health future will be shaped by the generation now entering and leading its health systems, institutions, laboratories, research programmes, businesses, communities and policy spaces. YPC 2026 will bring young Africans from across the continent together to help shape that future.

Taking place immediately ahead of the 5th International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2026), YPC 2026 is the official youth platform for the conference. It will connect young health professionals, students, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, advocates, communicators and community leaders with one another and with Africa’s public health leadership.

The 2026 edition is anchored in Africa CDC’s Health Security and Sovereignty agenda and the CPHIA 2026 ambition to move from health dependency and vulnerability towards ownership and resilience. The focus is practical: who will lead, what Africa will build, and how young Africans can help turn health sovereignty into action.

Building on a growing youth movement

YPC was launched in Kigali in 2022, where young participants called for greater inclusion in health decision-making and stronger investment in their skills and leadership. The 2023 edition in Lusaka deepened the focus on youth leadership and gender-responsive health security. These efforts helped strengthen institutional mechanisms for youth participation, including the Youth Advisory Team for Health (YAT4H).

At CPHIA 2025 in Durban, Africa CDC launched the Strategy for Youth Engagement and Participation in Global Health 2025-2028 (YES!Health), creating a continental framework for meaningful youth participation in Africa’s health agenda. YPC 2026 moves that agenda forward by linking youth ideas and leadership directly to the conversations, priorities and commitments of CPHIA 2026.

What YPC 2026 will deliver

YPC 2026 is designed as a working platform for young Africans who are already contributing to stronger health systems and want to influence what comes next. Over two days, participants will exchange ideas, showcase solutions, build relationships and develop priorities that can inform CPHIA 2026.

Our objectives

1. Put young Africans closer to decision-making. Create direct opportunities for young people to engage public health leaders, policymakers and institutions, and to shape recommendations on Africa’s health security and sovereignty.

2. Surface African-led ideas, research and innovation. Give visibility to youth-led solutions and connect promising work with institutions, partners, mentors and networks that can help it grow.

3. Strengthen the next generation of Africa’s health workforce. Build connections and pathways across public health, research, digital health, emergency response, local manufacturing, policy, advocacy and community engagement.

4. Advance YES!Health through action. Translate the Africa CDC youth engagement strategy into concrete opportunities, partnerships and institutional commitments for young Africans.

Expected outcomes

• A consolidated set of youth priorities and recommendations to inform discussions and commitments at CPHIA 2026.
• Greater visibility for youth-led research, innovation, advocacy and public health solutions from across African Union Member States.
• Stronger networks and partnerships connecting young leaders with African public health institutions, researchers, policymakers, funders and implementers.
• Clearer pathways for young Africans to contribute to health workforce development, disease preparedness and response, innovation, local manufacturing and community leadership.
• Concrete opportunities to advance implementation of the YES!Health Strategy and sustain youth participation beyond the conference.

Five tracks of YPC 2026

• Digital Health, Research and Innovation
• Building Africa’s Public Health Workforce
• One Health, Emergency Preparedness  and Response
• Local Manufacturing and Health Sovereignty
• Youth Leadership on Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV

Download the prospectus for detailed information on each track.

Download | Africa CDC Youth Pre-Conference 2026 – ENGLISH

Download | Africa CDC Youth Pre-Conference 2026  – FRENCH