On May 19, 2025, health experts gathered at a World Health Assembly (WHA) side event calling for stronger governance, coordination, and investment in Africa’s health research and innovation.
Co-convened by the Africa Health Research, Innovation and Development Alliance (AHRIDA) and The Infectious Disease Alliance (IDA), the experts reflected on Africa’s disproportionate dependence on imported health products—99% of its vaccines and 95% of its medicines. They also discussed the opportunity to strengthen the continent’s health research and development (R&D) capacity by investing in infrastructure, training a new generation of skilled researchers, and aligning funding with national and regional health priorities.
