The problem of controlling the disease-burden continues to be one of the major challenges in Africa and is viewed as a constraint to socio-economic development. The AU Conference of Ministers of Health (CAMH) provides an opportunity for African Health Ministers and partners to share experiences and best practices on how to improve the health situation in Africa. To this end the African Union organizes a Conference of Ministers of Health every two years.

The 3 rd Session of the AU Conference of Ministers of Health (CAMH3) will convene from 9-13 April 2007 in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the outcomes of the meeting will be submitted to the Assembly of African Union Heads of State and Government. The theme of the Conference will be “ Strengthening Health Systems for Equity and Development .” This theme was selected because health systems are the roadmap to universal access to comprehensive health services. Unless equitable health systems are developed and strengthened continent-wide, Africa may not achieve the health-related MDGs by 2015.

JUSTIFICATION

During the 2 nd Ordinary Session of the AU Conference of Ministers of Health held from 10-14 October 2005 in Gaborone, Botswana, South Africa offered to host the 3 rd Session under the theme “Strengthening Health Systems for Equity and Development”. This proposal was endorsed by the AU Summit in Khartoum, Sudan in January 2006.

FORMAT OF THE CONFERENCE

The conference will be organized in two phases:

(a) AU Member States Expert meeting April 9, 2007

The first day of the Conference of Health Ministers will be the convening of the meeting of officials from Member States. Their task will be to ensure that the documentation needed for the meeting are finalised.

(b) The Ministerial Meeting –April 10-13, 2007

This meeting will take place immediately following the Officials meeting. The major reports which will be considered include the following:

•  Maputo Plan of Action on the Operationalization of the Continental Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Policy Framework

•  Development of Human Resources for Health in Africa

•  Status of Traditional Medicine in Africa

•  Draft Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa

•  Plan of Action on the Prevention of Violence in Africa

•  Implementation Plan for the Outcomes of the Special Summit on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, Abuja, May 2006

•  Africa Health Strategy

OUTCOME

The main Outcome of the conference will be a Health Strategy for Africa. and a Declaration on Health System Strengthening in Africa for Equity and Development.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants will include: Ministers of Health and Health Experts/Officials from AU Member States, AU Commission, UN agencies, international organizations and NGOs and CSOs and AU Commission Chairperson's Special Guests.

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