Young African health leaders get free trip to shape continent's public health future

The Africa CDC Youth Pre-Conference 2026 is extending a fully funded invitation to young health professionals, researchers, students and community leaders across the continent who want to help shape Africa’s public health direction.

The two-day pre-conference runs November 21-22, 2026, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, immediately before the 5th International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2026), which follows from November 23-27. Together, the events form a working platform where young Africans exchange ideas, demonstrate solutions, build professional networks and help set priorities that feed directly into continental health policy.

The questions driving the gathering are deliberate and practical: who will lead Africa’s health systems forward, what will the continent build to strengthen those systems, and how can young people translate health sovereignty from concept into daily practice. The pre-conference anchors itself in the Africa CDC’s Health Security and Sovereignty agenda, a framework aimed at moving Africa away from dependency and toward ownership and resilience.

Five thematic tracks structure the work. Digital health, research and innovation form one pillar. Building Africa’s public health workforce is another. One Health approaches to emergency preparedness and response make up a third track, while local manufacturing and health sovereignty occupy a fourth. Youth leadership on sexual and reproductive health and HIV constitutes the fifth. Across all five areas, participants will workshop ideas, hear from Africa’s public health leadership and develop recommendations that carry into CPHIA 2026 itself.

Eligibility is broad by design. Applicants must be between 18 and 35 years old, citizens of an African Union Member State, and enrolled in at least an undergraduate programme or hold relevant professional, educational or community experience. The definition of relevant fields stretches wide: medicine, nursing, community and environmental health, research, digital health and technology, health policy, public service, development, communications, journalism, entrepreneurship, manufacturing and social sciences all qualify, provided the work connects to Africa’s health security and sovereignty.

Beyond credentials, the program is looking for people who show genuine leadership potential through research, youth-led initiatives, advocacy, innovation, community engagement or professional practice. Applicants must confirm they can participate fully across both the pre-conference and CPHIA 2026, and they should be ready to engage in peer exchange and the cultural dimensions of the gathering.

The benefits reach well past the two days in Addis Ababa. Selected participants join a pan-African community actively shaping public health’s next chapter on the continent. They gain direct access to policymakers, researchers, innovators and senior practitioners. The platform lets young professionals showcase their work, ideas or community experience to peers and established figures alike, and the relationships built during the pre-conference extend through CPHIA 2026, creating lasting networks across African Union Member States.

Financial barriers are removed entirely. Sponsorship covers flight tickets, accommodation, meals and CPHIA registration fees for every selected delegate.

The application process is straightforward. Candidates submit a completed online application form, a curriculum vitae of no more than two pages, their passport biodata page and any additional information the form requests. Applications open August 31, 2026 and close September 13, 2026 at 17:00 East Africa Time. Submissions are accepted in English or French. Selected candidates will be notified October 2, 2026, with an attendance confirmation deadline of October 9.

The full details and application portal are available at https://www.opportunitiesforafricans.com/the-africacdc-youth-pre-conference-2026/. The window is short, and the question worth sitting with is which voices from across the continent will be in the room when the recommendations are written.