Prime Minister Madbouly Opens 2026 Africa Health ExCon with 45,000 Attendees

The fifth edition of the Africa Health Exhibition and Conference, “2026 Africa Health ExCon,” was officially inaugurated today by Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly on behalf of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The event is organized by the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement, Medical Supply, and Medical Technology Management, under the auspices of the President, and will run from June 15 to June 18.

Before the conference began, Prime Minister Madbouly welcomed Djuro Macut, the Prime Minister of Serbia, who is participating in the event’s opening.

The conference is expected to attract over 45,000 visitors, including current and former ministers, members of parliament, heads of international and regional organizations, ambassadors, and representatives from diplomatic missions. A significant number of health sector leaders and partners from international institutions and the private sector will also be present.

This year’s edition features unprecedented participation from various Egyptian health entities as key partners in the event. This reflects the integration of Egypt’s healthcare system and unified efforts to support national and African health development agendas. Participating organizations include the Ministry of Health and Population, the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement, the Egyptian Drug Authority, the General Authority for Health Accreditation and Regulation, and major pharmaceutical companies.

The conference is themed “Health Sovereignty in Africa: Leadership, Resilience, and Self-Reliance,” in collaboration with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). This theme underscores Egypt’s role as a leading regional hub in supporting healthcare development across the continent while enhancing health integration among African nations in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and Egypt’s Vision 2030 for sustainable development.

This year’s event will feature over 400 local, regional, and global companies participating in more than 21 extensive discussion sessions and intensive technical workshops aimed at transforming health challenges into tangible investment and development opportunities.

During the opening ceremony, a documentary film showcasing achievements from previous conferences was presented.

Dr. Hisham Setteit, head of the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement, expressed his welcome to attendees during his speech at Africa Health ExCon. He noted that this exhibition has become a prominent platform for dialogue and cooperation in healthcare over recent years.

Dr. Setteit emphasized that this edition holds special significance due to Serbia’s Prime Minister’s presence, reflecting growing bilateral relations between Egypt and Serbia across various fields. He also highlighted ongoing strategic partnerships with Africa CDC as a key participant for the second consecutive year.

Dr. Ali El-Ghamrawy, head of the Egyptian Drug Authority, spoke about how this conference has evolved into a regional and international platform that gathers decision-makers to exchange experiences regarding future healthcare prospects.

He outlined a roadmap for Egypt’s drug authority strategy until 2030 based on five interconnected pillars: growth of the pharmaceutical market, localization of pharmaceutical industry production, enhancing exports of Egyptian medicines, international recognition and leadership both regionally and globally, along with digital transformation in drug tracking.

Dr. John Nkengasong, Director-General of Africa CDC also addressed attendees regarding ongoing threats from epidemics such as Ebola. He noted that this conference must address questions related to actions needed to manage such significant risks effectively.

Dr. Nkengasong expressed gratitude towards President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for Egypt’s support to its African counterparts. He praised Egypt’s role in solidarity with African nations while stressing the need for effective measures through unified procurement mechanisms across African countries.

Health Minister Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar reiterated that ExCon Health Africa 2026 embodies Egypt’s vision towards enhancing African health sovereignty while positioning the continent as a center for innovation in health manufacturing and trade.

He added that Egypt believes that future healthcare in Africa should transition from merely treating illnesses to building health systems focused on prevention through early detection using innovation and digital transformation.

The minister further asserted that Africa possesses ample human resources capable scientific talents which qualify it to become a global hub for health innovation.
ExCon Health Africa represents a strategic platform aimed at unifying efforts towards achieving equitable access to sustainable healthcare technologies across all African populations.

The four-day conference will feature an extensive program encompassing discussion sessions on critical topics such as localizing medical industries, enhancing pharmaceutical security, digital transformation within healthcare systems along with artificial intelligence applications relevant to medical supply chains. Discussions will also focus on building resilient health systems capable of responding effectively to future crises.

This conference stands as Africa’s largest health gathering aimed at promoting health security while achieving integration among African nations through supporting local manufacturing capabilities in medical supplies along with expanding investment opportunities within healthcare sectors.