On the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78), Ministers of Health and high-level representatives from sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia convened for a landmark roundtable to reinforce their leadership in child survival and accelerate the integration of life-saving healthcare strategies.
The event, titled “Integrating Child Survival Delivery Strategies to Maximize Effectiveness and Save Lives,” was co-hosted by the Ministry of Health of Mali, the Centre for Vaccine Development–Mali (CVD-Mali), and the REACH Network. It brought together ministers and delegates from Mali, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, as well as representatives from Burkina Faso, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Senegal.
“This moment is about action,” declared Colonel Dr. Assa Badiallo Touré, Mali’s Minister of Health and Social Affairs. “Millions of African children die from preventable causes. This must stir us to leadership, solidarity, and the courage to do things differently.”
The roundtable emphasized integration of interventions like immunization, nutrition, and azithromycin administration into national health systems as a cost-effective and scalable approach.
Professor Samba Sow, Director of CVD-Mali and Co-Chair of REACH, stressed that African-led solutions rooted in equity and national ownership are already proving successful. “Countries at this event are showing that integrating child survival interventions not only saves lives but also strengthens health systems sustainably,” he said.
In light of shrinking donor funding and growing healthcare demands, participants agreed that nations must break silos, align programmes, and create coordinated platforms to serve children and families more effectively.
Key global partners including UNICEF, WHO, PMNCH, ITI, Save the Children, and Uniting to Combat NTDs lent their support, calling for a multisectoral approach that links health with enablers like clean water, energy access, and resilient infrastructure.
They noted that cross-border cooperation is critical, as many countries face similar systemic challenges. Collaboration, transparency, and integration were highlighted as the path forward for meaningful and lasting impact.
The event concluded with a unified pledge by ministers and global partners to:
- Advance integrated child, maternal, and neonatal health strategies
- Identify in-country barriers and unlock solutions
- Foster cross-country learning and innovation
- Elevate child survival as a global health priority
“Child survival must be country-led, not project-driven,” echoed participants. “Integration works, but it must be grounded in functional systems, inter-sectoral collaboration, and strong accountability.”
This ministerial roundtable marks a bold step in reshaping how health systems serve children—moving from fragmentation to unity, innovation, and ownership.
