14 December, 19:00-21:00

Location: Kigali Convention Centre – room to be confirmed

Organised by NCDI Poverty Network and Partners in Health

This session features PEN-Plus – a clinical model for people living with severe NCDs that was recently adopted by WHO AFRO. PEN-Plus trains teams of nurses, clinical officers, and other mid-level providers at district hospitals in care for NCDs that may require services beyond primary care. We will feature panels of experienced PEN-Plus providers who will discuss lessons learned from Rwanda, Malawi, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. This session is a practical one, focusing on core themes in program design, training, data management, longitudinal mentorship, and building of political will for a new model of care delivery at district hospitals.

14 December, 19:00-21:00

Location: Kigali Convention Centre – AD4

Organised by the Team Europe Initiative on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in Sub-Saharan Africa

This event is the official launch of a new regional flagship initiative on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Africa. The initiative aims to advance shared policy commitments and priorities of Africa and Europe, with a focus on adolescent girls and young women. The initiative leverages the power of enhanced coordination and collaboration and builds on combined multimillion euro investments. The initiative has been co-created by the European Commission, EU Member States (Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxemburg, Netherlands and Sweden) and three Regional Economic Communities (REC), aiming to align to and reinforce REC priorities.

14 December, 19:00-21:00

Location: Kigali Convention Centre – Main Auditorium

Organised by AIDS Healthcare Foundation

As the world continues to rebuild, the inequities that marred the COVID-19 response have shown the urgent need to reform the global public health system and explore lessons from Africa’s innovative and strategic response to the pandemic. In this side-session, hosted by AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), public health experts, advocates and prominent figures will discuss what an equitable and cooperative approach to global public health should be – focusing on governance, leadership, a new public health convention, resource mobilisation, research, vaccines, global health equity and CSO engagement – towards averting or reducing the impact of more public health threats.

14 December, 19:00-21:00

Location: Kigali Convention Centre – Meeting Hall 2

Organised by NCDI Poverty Network and Partners in Health

This session will focus on the model of PEN-Plus – a clinical model that provides high quality longitudinal care for people living with severe and chronic NCDs. It is an integrated strategy that focuses on developing teams of nurses, clinical officers, and other mid-level providers working at first level hospitals, such as district hospitals. These expert NCD teams focus on diagnosis and care for chronic NCDs that may require services beyond primary care models. The panels will discuss results and lessons learned from PEN-Plus initiation and scale-up efforts in Rwanda, Malawi, and Liberia. Equally important to successes, discussants will also highlight challenges or hurdles and strategies used to tackle them. The panels will bring out core themes in program design, training, data management, longitudinal mentorship, building of political will, and how they approached the adoption of a new model of care delivery at district hospitals. The event will then pivot to look toward the future and how to create a learning community across the countries newly initiating PEN-Plus in order to incorporate lessons learned as well as how to work across policy, research, and financing spheres in order to successfully meet the ambitious targets set forth by WHO AFRO.

Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/PcY7h3nB5i

14 December, 19:00-21:00

Location: Kigali Convention Centre – AD1

Organised by Nigeria Health Watch and Sydani Group

Infectious disease outbreaks remain a public health challenge globally. To mount an effective response requires the communication of clear and consistent public health information, involving the whole-of-society. Nigeria Health Watch in partnership with Sydani Group is hosting a side event titled ‘Health Communication in a Public Health Emergency Response’ to discuss progress, lessons learnt and the way forward in public health communication on the African continent. As the world tries to build back better after the pandemic, there is a clear need to discuss the key role that communication plays in ensuring an effective public health response.

Register here: https://bit.ly/3gV4lGm

14 December, 19:00-21:00

Location: Kigali Convention Centre – AD11

Organised by Africa CDC and GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)

In line with this year’s conference theme and conference track 5, this joint side event by Africa CDC and GIZ will focus on the continent’s One Health initiatives at regional and continental levels as well as next steps in further institutionalising the One Health approach on the continent. The side event aims to:

• Take stock of One Health developments, initiatives, and efforts led by AU Regional Economic Communities;
• Showcase lessons learnt from success stories and challenges;
• Advocate for political and community buy-in and bringing One Health onto the regular agenda of discussions on health in Africa;
• Create a space for peer-to-peer exchange and strengthen networks.

14 December, 19:00-21:00

Location: Kigali Convention Centre – Meeting Hall 3

Organised by Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative

Hosted by Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, the main objective of the session is to raise visibility of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), neglected patients, and the need for new tools. This is in line with this year’s Kigali Declaration on NTDs, which reiterates commitment to WHO’s 2021–2030 road map, and the target of Sustainable Development Goal three to end NTD epidemics. Speakers will speak about among others, the impact of climate change on NTDs, solutions by Africa to access treatments and the role of youth in innovation for NTDs.

Register here: https://t.co/lIbmosUs9C. 

14 December, 19:00-21:00

Location: Kigali Convention Centre – Meeting Hall 4

Organised by Partners in Health 

There is no single strategy for financing UHC; however, sharing case studies and financing modalities from around the globe can provide important frameworks for decision makers and implementers. This side event will seek to answer the question: how can we take the lessons learned from ongoing health crises and devise better health financing arrangements for those all in need.

 Panelists for this event will include representatives from the Rwandan Ministry of Health, the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health, Harvard Medical School, International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC), and the World Bank.

Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/PcY7h3nB5i.

14 December, 19:00-21:00

Location: Kigali Convention Centre – AD12

Organised by Africa CDC

The side event will showcase the type of partnerships Africa CDC has been able to mobilize in light of the preparedness and future directions of Africa CDC/continent. The event will demonstrate the various aspects of current partnerships, including how they function, the significance of the partnership and its contribution to the New Public Health Order, and the necessity of investing in and developing our partnerships in the current environment. Africa CDC will use this opportunity to set an ambitious and forward-looking tone for ongoing collaborations and showcase the strides that Africa CDC has made in just five years since its inception.

14 December, 19:00-21:00

Location: Kigali Convention Centre – Meeting Hall 1

Organised by the AMA Treaty Alliance (AMATA)

Pharmaceutical regulatory harmonization, incarnated by the African Medicines Agency, has been described time and over again as a key prerequisite for better pandemic preparedness. As the foundations of the new Agency are laid out, this side event will bring key stakeholders from the public sector, private sector and civil society to discuss their respective roles and responsibilities in the development of the Agency, as well as their collective commitment towards the vision of the AMA. The side event will be hosted by the AMA Treaty Alliance (AMATA), a multi-stakeholder alliance set up to advocate for the ratification and implementation of the African Medicines Agency (AMA) Treaty and for meaningful engagement with patients and other non-state actors, in all aspects of the Agency framework and development.

Register for the event here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/african-medicines-agency-prerequisite-for-effective-pandemic-preparedness-tickets-472782363777