By Bunmi Yekini
Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammed Ali Pate will next week join counterparts from 46 other African countries in Lusaka, Zambia, for the Seventy-fifth Session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa, a high-level meeting expected to shape policies that directly affect millions of Nigerians.
The meeting, which will run from 25–27 August 2025, will bring together more than 500 delegates, including WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Mohamed Janabi, civil society leaders and development partners. Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema will open the session on Monday.
For Nigeria, the stakes are high. Despite improvements in health indicators, the country still carries a heavy burden of maternal deaths, malaria, and weak health systems.
Dr Tedros warned that decisions at the Lusaka meeting will be crucial.
“This meeting is not just about policies on paper, it is about life and death for millions of Africans who still lack access to basic health care,” he said.
Among the key issues on the agenda are:
Maternal and child health:
Africa still accounts for 70% of global maternal deaths, with Nigeria contributing significantly. Ministers will deliberate on a new plan to transform health systems for women, children and adolescents by investing in frontline health workers and primary care.
Malaria response:
Nigeria remains the country with the highest malaria burden in the world, accounting for over 27% of global cases. Leaders will discuss how to expand community-based treatment, strengthen resistance control, and mobilize funding to meet 2030 targets.
Oral health roadmap (2023–2030): For the first time, oral diseases—often overlooked in Nigeria’s public health agenda, will be given regional attention, with a goal of ensuring 50% of citizens have access to essential oral health services by 2030.
Universal access to safe blood products:
More than 50% of Africa’s blood needs are unmet, leading to preventable deaths in hospitals, especially for women during childbirth and accident victims. A new framework will push countries, including Nigeria, to modernize blood services.
Health workforce shortage:
With only 1.55 health workers per 1,000 people in Africa compared to the global benchmark of 4.45, Nigeria continues to suffer brain drain as doctors and nurses migrate abroad. The meeting will explore strategies to train, retain, and fairly distribute health professionals.
Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO’s Regional Director for Africa, stressed the urgency of bold reforms.
“Our region is facing overlapping challenges, infectious diseases, non-communicable conditions, climate change, and weak health systems. This session is an opportunity to reimagine Africa’s health future with solutions that are homegrown and sustainable,” he said.
Ahead of the official opening, WHO and the Zambian government will host a 5 Kilometre “Walk the Talk” in Lusaka on Sunday, August 24, to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles.
All plenary sessions will be broadcast live on WHO channels in English, French and Portuguese. Nigerians can follow the debates that will help determine the country’s path towards better health.