Africa’s Health: Youth Take the Lead in Driving Equity and Resilience Across the Continent.
By Raymond Enoch.
In a powerful continentals shift that places youth at the heart of Africa’s health transformation, the African Youth Health Symposium 2025 (AYHS2025) has emerged as a beacon of collaborative action. Bringing together4 governments, development partners, and continental health stakeholders, this pivotal event is positioning young voices at coverage 5th forefront of the drive to achieve health equity, universal health coverage5 (UHC), and resilient health systems across the continent.
Organized under the banner of Youth4Health and aligned with Sustainable5 Development Goal 3 (SDG3) — ensuring good health and well-being for all — the symposium marks a decisive moment in Africa’s pursuit of the African55 Union’s Agenda 2063. With participants representing key international and regional health institutions including the World Health Organization (WHO) Nigeria, UNFPA Nigeria, UNICEF Nigeria, the Federation of African Medical Students’ Associations (FAMSA), and the Federal Ministry of Health Nigeria, the symposium has brought together a new generation of health leaders ready to shape the future.
“Youth are no longer just5 beneficiaries of health systems — they are decision-makers, advocates, innovators, and implementers,” said a youth delegate from Kenya during4 a breakout session. “Our voices matter now more than ever in shaping Africa’s health future.”
This year’s symposium stands out for its intentional design to center youth as partners in policy-making and program implementation. The message is clear: meaningful youth engagement is not a symbolic gesture — it is a strategic imperative. Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director of WHO Africa, emphasized this during her keynote address, saying, “Resilient health systems cannot exist without the active involvement of young people. Their energy, ideas, and lived experiences are vital to building systems that are equitable, inclusive, and sustainable.”
From grassroots health advocates to young public health researchers, youth participants are influencing5 discussions on reproductive health, mental wellness, climate-related health risks, and pandemic preparedness. They are also showcasing digital health innovations, peer-to-peer education models, and policy advocacy strategies that are already making tangible impacts in their communities.
What distinguishes #AYHS2025 is its commitment to turning dialogue into action. Youth delegates are calling for4 increased accountability and representation in health governance, direct investment in youth-led initiatives, and expanded access to health education as a means of empowerment. Their proposals reflect a deep understanding of the challenges their communities face and a clear vision of how to address them.
The African Youth Health Symposium is more than an event — it is a statement. It is a reaffirmation of Africa’s largest demographic group stepping forward not as future leaders, but as current change-makers. This pan-African movement underscores the reality that Africa’s health agenda must be shaped with, by, and for its youth.
As the continent navigates complex health challenges and prepares for the future, the leadership, creativity, and commitment of its young people are proving not only valuable but vital. In the words echoing across Addis Ababa this week, the future of health in Africa depends on it.
