KIGALI, Rwanda (BG) — Africa must move beyond its image as a passive recipient of global health aid and take an active role in shaping health care’s future, a senior World Health Organization (WHO) official said Monday.

Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, WHO’s acting regional director for Africa, told delegates at the Africa Health Agenda International Conference in Kigali, Rwanda, that the continent’s leadership in health security depends on equitable access to medical countermeasures and fairer financing models.

“Africa is so much more than a continent of challenges—it is a continent of solutions,” he said, highlighting the resilience of its communities and the strength of civil society.

His remarks followed the opening address by Rwanda’s Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, who called for innovative approaches—such as leveraging AI—to strengthen health systems amid global financing constraints.

Ihekweazu emphasized that achieving universal health coverage requires action, not just rhetoric.

“We must advocate for equitable access to health medical countermeasures,” he said, warning that without changes in global policies and perceptions, Africa’s progress in fighting infectious diseases and improving life expectancy could stall.

The conference takes place from March 2 to 5 and is a biennial event that gathers global stakeholders to discuss important health challenges in Africa.

“We must invest in primary health care, empower health care workers, pay them well, and strengthen the very foundations of our health system,” Ihekweazu said.

“Preparedness is not only about technical capacity, it’s also critically about leadership. This is why Africa’s leadership in health security must be relentless,” he added.

The WHO official said the ability to detect, coordinate, and respond swiftly to health threats is no longer a luxury. “It’s an imperative, else we will compromise the progress that we are making in other fields.”