Health focus on World Economic Forum Africa agenda

Sustainable healthcare and service delivery will be one of the key focuses at the World Economic Forum on Africa which will take place this week in Abuja, Nigeria, from  7 to 9 May.


Participants together with key government representatives will address the following key challenges under the theme Health Systems Leapfrogging in Emerging Economies:

• Universal Health Coverage and Health Financing: how to ensure funding for health for all by introducing affordable “leapfrogging” initiatives that can deliver high quality care at a lower cost
• Leadership & Governance: how to create an enabling environment of multiple stakeholders to deliver high quality care
• Human Resources: exploring innovative approaches for human resources for health training to address health needs and ensure quality care
• Health Service Delivery: how to revitalize integrated service delivery towards equitable access to health
• Community participation: how to empower communities to be effectively involved in the provision of their health care
• Partnerships for Health: Enhance harmonized implementation of multiple initiatives in line with national policies

For Nigeria, participants will highlight a vision for the Nigerian health system by 2030 aiming to provide universal health coverage by building on the National Health Bill 2014. They will elaborate a package of high-impact “leapfrogging” initiatives and align stakeholders to cooperate in delivering this vision.

Nigeria currently has approximately just 14% of the number of doctors per capita of OECD countries. To catch up, Nigeria would need approximately 12 times as many doctors by 2030 at a cost of US$ 51 billion.  

Robert Greenhill, Managing Director, Chief Business Officer and Member of the Managing Board, World Economic Forum, said that this is not a sustainable option and that higher investments do not necessarily translate into better health outcomes.

“Policymakers now stand at a fork in the road, and face two alternative paths: the familiar, but long, expensive and ultimately unsustainable path of developed economies – or a shortcut that leapfrogs over the problems experienced by developed economies and results in a system that provides better health outcomes, financial stability, and individual satisfaction,” he said. “We believe that African economies are well suited to the second path”.  

A series of health workshops and sessions will be discussing ways in which Africa can leap over the mistakes that developed economies have made and catch up with them through affordable innovative and disruptive initiatives.