African and Asian Ministers Unite at WHA78 to Push Bold Child Survival Agenda

On the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78) in Geneva, global health took a decisive turn toward urgent, integrated action on child survival. Ministers of Health and senior representatives from sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia convened for a high-level roundtable, underscoring their determination to lead a new wave of innovation, collaboration, and accountability aimed at saving millions of children’s lives.

Reaffirming Leadership on Child Survival

The ministerial roundtable, 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. The event brought together top officials from Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mali, Niger, and representatives from Burkina Faso, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Senegal—countries that collectively represent millions of children at risk from preventable diseases and poor access to essential care.

Dr. Assa Badiallo Touré, Mali’s Minister of Health and Social Affairs, passionately opened the roundtable with a call to action. “This moment is about action,” she declared. “Millions of African children continue to die every year from causes we can prevent. This must stir us to action—through leadership, solidarity, and the courage to do things differently.”

Her sentiment resonated throughout the session, with participants recognizing that fragmented and siloed interventions were no longer viable. Instead, the time had come to merge strategies and align delivery systems for greater impact.

Integrated Delivery: A Proven Path Forward

Professor Samba Sow, Co-chair of the REACH Network and Director of CVD-Mali, emphasized the transformative potential of African-led, integrated approaches. “We are witnessing a growing movement of African-led solutions, rooted in equity, evidence, and national ownership,” Sow remarked. “The countries represented at this event are proving that integrated delivery of child survival interventions is not only cost-effective—it works.”

Integration was the unifying theme. Ministers shared experiences and strategies around merging the delivery of immunization, nutrition, azithromycin administration, and neonatal care under unified national frameworks. In an era marked by shrinking donor support and increasing public health demands, integration is viewed as the most sustainable and impactful approach.

Beyond Health: Multisectoral Collaboration Is Essential

Participants unanimously agreed that child survival cannot be achieved in isolation. Representatives from UNICEF, PMNCH, WHO, Uniting to Combat NTDs, Save the Children, ITI, and PANTHER stressed the need for multisectoral collaboration, linking child health efforts to sectors such as:

• WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene)

• Energy access (for powering clinics and cold chains)

• Infrastructure development (to improve reach and service quality)

Countries across the African and Asian continents face similar structural challenges. Cross-border coordination on policy, funding mechanisms, and delivery systems was highlighted as a promising solution to achieving sustainable child health gains. In particular, leveraging regional blocs and inter-country partnerships was seen as a strategic way to scale innovations and ensure continuity.

A Shared Commitment to Action and Accountability

The roundtable concluded with a shared pledge: to continue building on this dialogue through country-specific follow-up sessions and cross-country exchanges. These efforts aim to identify bottlenecks, share best practices, and develop pathways to expand successful models across similar geographies.

Ministers reaffirmed that child survival must be led by national governments, not externally driven projects, and that this leadership must be grounded in accountability, transparency, and the integration of services into functioning health systems.

This declaration marked a turning point. It wasn’t merely a symbolic gathering, but the consolidation of a movement. One where African and Asian nations define their own path forward, placing children, families, and equity at the heart of health systems strengthening.

The Road Ahead: From Vision to Reality

As the WHA78 continues, the voices heard at this ministerial roundtable will likely echo in global health forums to come. What began as a call for integration is quickly evolving into a blueprint for a new model of child survival—one that is holistic, government-led, and rooted in solidarity across borders and sectors.

The work now shifts to implementation. Will the commitments made translate into policy reforms, budget allocations, and scaled interventions? Will global donors align their support to empower this homegrown leadership?

Only time will tell, but one thing is clear: the era of fragmented child health delivery is ending, and a new chapter—defined by unity, resilience, and shared responsibility—is taking shape.