2024 Faces of Africa: Competitions and Keynote Speakers

Flyer for the 2024 Faces of Africa Conference

This blog post is a Q&A with the Communication Officer, Dr. Misker Teka at the African Public Health Network (APHN), Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (2023 - 2024). This post shares some insights into the theme and the main takeaways from the Faces of Africa Conference which was held on April 25 and 26, 2024. It is one of the many public health initiatives in the diaspora, the African Union's 6th region, creating conversations and building networks for Africa's New Public Health Order.

I was part of the organizing team of the 2021 Faces of Africa Conference, so it is nice to see the event back in person and its continued growth.

This is the first post in a two-part series.

Let’s start with the theme of the conference. This year’s theme was “The Dawn of Africa.” Can you share more about why you selected that theme and what it means to you?

The theme for this year's Faces of Africa Hopkins African Public Health Conference, "The Dawn of Africa," was chosen to symbolize a new beginning and a hopeful future for the continent by our president Aseel Salih. This theme reflects the transformative changes happening across Africa in various sectors, particularly in public health. It signifies a period of renewed energy, innovation, and commitment to addressing the longstanding challenges and emerging opportunities in health and development.

"It encourages stakeholders to envision a continent where health systems are robust, inclusive, and adaptive to the unique needs of African communities."

To APHN, "The Dawn of Africa" encapsulates the spirit of resilience and progress. It represents the collective efforts of African nations to redefine their narratives and take charge of their destinies. In the context of public health, it highlights the strides being made in health equity, the decolonization of health systems, and the implementation of sustainable, locally-driven health solutions. This theme is a call to recognize and celebrate the achievements while acknowledging the work that still needs to be done to ensure a healthier, more equitable future for all Africans.

By selecting this theme, we aimed to inspire conference participants to think boldly and creatively about the future of public health in Africa. It encourages stakeholders to envision a continent where health systems are robust, inclusive, and adaptive to the unique needs of African communities. "The Dawn of Africa" is not just about acknowledging the dawn of a new era; it's about actively contributing to its arrival through collaboration, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to health and wellbeing.

The first Keynote speaker was Dr. A. Kayum Ahmed, a distinguished human rights assistant professor who is affiliated with Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Harvard FXB Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University. What were your main takeaways on decolonizing global health, particularly for Africa?

Dr. A. Kayum Ahmed’s keynote on decolonizing global health provided profound insights into the systemic issues and power imbalances that persist within global health frameworks. One of the key takeaways was the necessity to challenge the enduring colonial legacies that influence current global health practices. Dr. Ahmed emphasized that many global health policies and interventions are often designed and implemented from a Western-centric perspective, which can marginalize local voices and overlook the unique contexts of African health systems. He argued for a paradigm shift where global health is not dictated by former colonial powers but is instead led by the communities it aims to serve.

"Dr. Ahmed stressed that African countries possess a wealth of indigenous knowledge and innovative practices that are frequently undervalued or ignored in the global health discourse."

A significant point raised was recognizing and valuing local knowledge and expertise. Dr. Ahmed stressed that African countries possess a wealth of indigenous knowledge and innovative practices that are frequently undervalued or ignored in the global health discourse. To truly decolonize global health, there must be a concerted effort to integrate these local insights into health policies and practices. This involves not only listening to but actively empowering local health professionals, researchers, and communities to take the lead in addressing their health challenges. By doing so, global health initiatives can become more culturally relevant, effective, and sustainable.

Furthermore, Dr. Ahmed highlighted the critical role of equity and justice in health systems. He called for a reconfiguration of the global health landscape to ensure that resources, funding, and decision-making power are more equitably distributed. This means moving away from a top-down approach where Western institutions dominate and towards a more collaborative model that prioritizes the needs and perspectives of African nations. Such a shift would help in addressing the historical injustices and structural inequities that have long plagued global health, ultimately leading to more just and effective health outcomes for African populations.

The conference also had 3 competitions (1) Photo Competition (2) Article Submission (3) Pitch Competition. You ensured that creativity and art were present in the public health field. Could you share more about the competitions and the importance of including creativity and art in public health? 

At the Faces of Africa Conference, creativity and art were integral components, showcased through three exciting competitions: the Photo Competition, Article Submission, and Pitch Competition. Each of these events underscored the importance of integrating creativity and art within the public health sphere, enhancing engagement and offering diverse perspectives on health equity and public health issues.

The Photo Competition, "In the Lens of Health Equity," invited participants to capture images that vividly depicted health equity or disparities. This competition highlighted how visual storytelling can evoke powerful emotional responses and convey complex messages about public health issues without needing extensive explanations.

"Incorporating art and creativity into public health initiatives helps to humanize and contextualize data, making the information more accessible and relatable to a broader audience."

Similarly, the Article Submission and Pitch Competition provided platforms for participants to articulate their insights and innovative solutions to public health challenges. These competitions encouraged participants to think critically and creatively, merging scientific rigor with artistic expression. By including these creative elements, the conference not only celebrated diverse talents but also demonstrated how art and creativity can play crucial roles in raising awareness, educating the public, and fostering innovative approaches in the field of public health.

Attendees at a conference sitting at round tables, engaging in discussions, with a presentation screen in the background.

Incorporating art and creativity into public health initiatives helps to humanize and contextualize data, making the information more accessible and relatable to a broader audience. These competitions exemplified how blending art with public health can lead to more engaging and impactful communication, ultimately advancing the field and promoting health equity on a global scale.

The pitch competition was on health financing in Sierra Leone. As a Sierra Leonean, I know that is a very important topic. These could be solutions to some of the health financing challenges, could you share more details on the pitch competition?

The pitch competition at the Faces of Africa: Hopkins Public Health Conference centered on the critical topic of health financing in Sierra Leone, focusing on increasing domestic health spending and decreasing out-of-pocket expenditures.

The pitch competition featured judges with extensive backgrounds in global health and health financing, such as Adam Koon, PhD, MPH; Emmanuel Fulgence Drabo, PhD, MPhil; and Sara Bennett, PhD, MPhil. These judges brought a wealth of expertise and an understanding of the local context, which ensured that the solutions presented were both relevant and practical for Sierra Leone.

By engaging these experts and stakeholders, the competition fostered a collaborative environment where innovative solutions could be proposed and evaluated critically. This approach not only highlighted the importance of creativity and local knowledge in addressing health financing issues but also reinforced the need for stakeholder involvement to develop sustainable and effective health policies in Sierra Leone.

Thanks for reading the first post and make sure to read the second post in this series.