Healthcare leaders at WHX Johannesburg 2026 highlighted the importance of trust, local ownership and public-private partnerships in strengthening healthcare systems across Africa.
Held from 6 to 8 October, the event brought together government officials, healthcare professionals, academics and industry representatives to discuss sustainable healthcare financing, equitable access, disease prevention and collaboration.
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Speakers emphasised that effective partnerships require ethical business practices, transparent communication and strong relationships between governments, private healthcare providers and international organisations. They also stressed the importance of empowering African institutions to set healthcare priorities while benefiting from international expertise and resources.
Opening the discussion, Dr Nono Simelela, Advisor to the Minister of Health, acknowledged the significant challenges facing African health systems, including communicable diseases, the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, malnutrition and unequal access to quality care. However, she emphasised that the continentโs challenges should not overshadow its potential for innovation and collaboration. โWe need to change that narrative ourselves,โ she said.
Discussions highlighted the need for stronger supply chains, sustainable domestic financing, digital technologies and cross-border cooperation to address healthcare challenges and improve patient outcomes.
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โHealthcare companies too often plan the Gulf and Africa as separate strategies,โ said Oscar Wendel, Founder and Chairman of Global Stratalogues. โThe capital, the logistics and increasingly the regulation already connect them. GHS Advisory exists to help companies plan for the corridor as a whole, with research that holds up in front of ministries and boards alike.โ
The event also marked the first public appearance of Global Health Stratalogues (GHS) Advisory, a consulting practice supporting healthcare and life sciences companies entering and expanding across Africa, the Gulf and Europe. Its work focuses on market entry, business development, go-to-market strategies, workforce capabilities, and technology and AI.
โIf we cannot answer that question, then we would have wasted our time,โ Prof. Edward Kunonga said, referring to the need to demonstrate how healthcare decisions would make a practical difference to peopleโs lives. His remarks framed the subsequent discussion around the fundamental question of how can African countries build health systems that are sustainable, responsive to local needs and better equipped to withstand future crises?
GHS is the Intelligence Partner of the Global Health Exhibition 2026 and has produced its official market intelligence report on entering Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with MedEdge MEA. โThe Middle East does not need another imported playbook. It needs commercial models built on local market structure, real field data and decisions a sales leader can actually run,โ Avinash Jangid, who leads the practice in the region.
The discussions reinforced that resilient healthcare systems depend on collaboration, accountability and solutions shaped by local needs.
