PharmaConnect Africa 2025, held from 15 to 16 October in Lusaka, Zambia, brought together policymakers, regulators, industry representatives, and global partners for a common purpose — turning policy into practice to improve medicines availability and use across Africa.
Organised in collaboration with SADC CESARE III, the conference served as a continental forum for shared dialogue on local production, supply chain resilience, regulatory harmonisation, and technology adoption. Delegates representing more than twenty countries — including Angola, Botswana, the DRC, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, alongside partners from Europe, Asia, and North America — exchanged experiences and practical strategies to ensure sustainable access to essential health products.
Under the theme “From Policy to Practice: Advancing Medicines Availability and Use in Africa,” participants explored how stronger coordination, digital innovation, and cross-sector partnerships can help build health systems that are resilient, efficient, and people-centred.
GaneshAID’s Role: Bringing Human-Centred Innovation into the Conversation
As a partner organisation contributing to the conference dialogue, GaneshAID participated in the interactive seminar “Modernisation and Innovation to Improve Medicines Access,” co-facilitated by Dr Andrew Brown, Medicines and Vaccines Access Accelerator Advisor, and Mr Tommy Leab, Innovation Product Manager.
GaneshAID’s contribution focused on the intersection between digital transformation, workforce empowerment, and data intelligence. Drawing on experiences from its country partnerships, the organisation shared how connecting local expertise with adaptive digital tools can support governments in planning, managing, and monitoring medicine and vaccine supply systems more effectively.
Showcasing Collaborative Solutions
Throughout the event, GaneshAID contributed to multiple thematic tracks — including Supply Chain Innovation, Leadership and Workforce, and Digital Health Transformation.
Across these sessions, the organisation shared experiences from several ongoing initiatives developed with partners such as WHO AFRO and national ministries of health. These initiatives apply geospatial analytics, mobile learning, and digital coaching to help improve immunisation planning, workforce performance, and operational efficiency.
The conversations reflected a collective understanding: that modernisation is most effective when it strengthens existing systems rather than replaces them, and when technology is designed around the needs of those who implement health services every day.
From Dialogue to Partnership
PharmaConnect Africa 2025 also provided fertile ground for new partnerships. Beyond the formal presentations, informal discussions created opportunities to exchange experiences, explore collaboration, and identify areas where innovation could directly support national priorities.
For GaneshAID, the event went beyond knowledge sharing — it was an opportunity to listen and learn from ministries, regional bodies, and private-sector actors shaping the future of Africa’s pharmaceutical landscape. The networking exchanges offered valuable insights for strengthening alignment between digital innovation, policy implementation, and local system ownership.
About PharmaConnect Africa 2025
PharmaConnect Africa is a regional platform that unites governments, industry, and development partners to advance access to quality medicines and health products through collaboration, innovation, and policy alignment.
For more information: Pharmaconnect
About GaneshAID
GaneshAID is a women-led global health innovation consultancy dedicated to advancing Health Justice through human-centred design, digital transformation, and system strengthening.
Photo by: PharmaConnect
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