Ethiopia

As Chairperson, Dr. Mekdes will lead deliberations and decision-making among the 47 Member States of the WHO African Region throughout the session.

During the session, participants are reviewing progress, addressing emerging health challenges and considering strategies to strengthen health systems and improve health outcomes across the continent.

The assessment, conducted from July 27–31, 2026, evaluated the country’s regulatory strengths and gaps and will support updates to EFDA’s Institutional Development Plan.

More than 600 delegates are expected to attend the Region’s main annual forum for health governance and policymaking.

The partnership combines Africa CDC’s continental leadership in health security with PSI’s experience in working with governments, communities and partners to design and scale people-centred healthcare solutions.

Africa CDC developed the resource through its Hepatitis B Group of Experts, in collaboration with the Centre for Operational Research on Hepatitis B, HEPSANET and the Society for the Study of Liver Disease in Africa.

The country has also discharged its last Ebola patient and entered the 42-day countdown required to declare the outbreak over.

The initiative focused on border communities, refugee camps, and other vulnerable areas where frequent cross-border movement increases the risk of disease transmission.

The new Strengthening Public Health Surveillance and Resilient Knowledge for Non-Communicable Diseases in Africa (SPARK-NCD) programme aims to improve disease surveillance, workforce capacity, and integrated care across the continent.