Africans push on in drive for universal healthcare

A quest to achieve universal health coverage in Africa has gathered momentum despite disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to the health sector and economies across the continent.

The upbeat mood was evident on Monday at the Africa Health Agenda International Conference, or AHAIC, which unveiled a report titled "The State of Universal Health Coverage in Africa". The comprehensive document mapped the progress of African countries toward their universal health coverage goals.

The report provides key recommendations for transformative change which African countries should adopt to accelerate progress toward universal health coverage. The conference is a biennial meeting of health ministers, private sector leaders, civil society, and representatives from multilateral organizations. It will run until Wednesday.