Staff Reporter
Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, SleimanTimios Kwidini, is leading the nation’s delegation at the 4th Edition of the Africa Health ExCon, currently underway at the Egyptian International Convention Centre (EICC) in Egypt.
The summit is running from 24 to 27 June 2025.
This year’s summit, co-hosted by the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), centres on two transformative themes: “The Localisation of Manufacturing and the Integration of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare” and “Innovation and Independence: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Local Manufacturing to Strengthen African Health.”
Deputy Minister Kwidini played a prominent role on the opening day as a panellist in the first session titled “Strengthening Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) for Effective Primary Healthcare: Ecosystems Challenges and Enablers.”
Speaking at the summit, Deputy Minister Kwidini emphasised the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration in transforming African healthcare systems.
“The journey toward resilient, equitable and accessible primary healthcare in Africa cannot be walked by the public sector alone. The private sector, civil society, the Diaspora, international partners and us custodians of African health systems all have vital roles to play, each bringing unique capabilities, resources and innovations to the table,” he said.
The Africa Health ExCon has become the continent’s largest health conference and exhibition platform, bringing together policymakers, researchers, innovators, and health sector investors.
Zimbabwe’s participation signals strong regional engagement and intent to adopt new models of health delivery through public-private collaboration, AI integration, and local pharmaceutical manufacturing.
The 2025 edition places a distinct focus on reducing Africa’s dependence on external suppliers by promoting domestic production of essential medical supplies, vaccines, and pharmaceuticals. Integrating AI is also seen as a game-changer for diagnostics, data-driven health management, and rural healthcare outreach.
Zimbabwe, which is in the midst of implementing the National Health Strategy 2021–2025, has prioritised innovation and investment in primary healthcare as a pillar for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Deputy Minister Kwidini is expected to hold several bilateral meetings with fellow African health leaders and development partners during the summit.
These engagements will further explore strategic partnerships aimed at enhancing Zimbabwe’s health sector resilience and self-reliance.
