A generation of African health workers, students, researchers and community leaders now has the chance to shape the direction of public health across the continent. The Africa CDC Youth Pre-Conference 2026 is accepting applications through September 13, 2026, at 17:00 East Africa Time, seeking participants who will help chart a course toward health sovereignty and resilience for the region.
The pre-conference brings together young professionals from across African Union Member States to engage directly with established public health leaders, policymakers and innovators. Participants aged 18 to 35 will attend workshops, dialogues and interactive sessions designed to connect peers working in medicine, nursing, research, digital health, policy, communications, entrepreneurship and community health. The gathering takes place immediately before the 5th International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2026), which runs from November 23 to 27, 2026, positioning youth voices at the center of continental health discussions.
The 2026 edition is grounded in Africa CDC’s Health Security and Sovereignty agenda, reflecting a shift from dependency toward African-led solutions. Young participants will work to translate health sovereignty from concept into concrete action, addressing who will lead health systems and institutions, what the continent will build, and how emerging professionals can drive that transformation. The focus is deliberately practical, rooted in the lived experience of those entering health careers and community roles.
Selected delegates receive comprehensive support. Flight tickets, accommodation, meals and registration for CPHIA 2026 are all covered through sponsorship. This removes financial barriers that might otherwise prevent talented young people from participating, particularly those from resource-limited settings.
Eligibility requirements reflect the breadth of expertise needed to strengthen African health systems. Applicants must be citizens of an African Union Member State, at least 18 years old, and enrolled in an undergraduate programme or possess relevant professional or community experience. The application welcomes people from public health, medicine and nursing as well as those in environmental health, digital technology, health policy, public service, development, communications, journalism, manufacturing and social sciences. What matters is demonstrable leadership potential and a genuine commitment to improving health through research, advocacy, innovation, community engagement or professional work.
The application process requires submission of a completed online form, a curriculum vitae of no more than two pages, a passport biodata page and any additional materials requested. Applications may be submitted in English or French. More details are available at https://opportunitydesk.org/2026/09/02/africa-cdc-youth-pre-conference-2026-funded/.
By contrast with many high-level health convenings, this one is structured so that youth input shapes the agenda rather than supplements it. Selected participants gain access to a pan-African community of peers working across the continent’s health landscape, and the pre-conference creates space for them to influence the priorities and recommendations that will carry into CPHIA 2026 discussions. Beyond the formal sessions, attendees build relationships with colleagues from across African Union Member States, develop new knowledge through specialized workshops and gain direct exposure to the work of established practitioners and innovators.
The opportunity extends beyond the pre-conference itself. Selected participants continue into CPHIA 2026, where they can showcase research, ideas or community experience to a broader audience of health leaders and practitioners. This continuity ensures that youth voices are not isolated to a single event but integrated into the larger continental conversation about Africa’s health future.
The deadline is firm: September 13, 2026, at 17:00 East Africa Time. Whether the voices that emerge from this cohort go on to reshape health policy, lead institutions or anchor community programmes may well depend on who applies in the weeks ahead.