AAIC Representative in Kenya Speaks at Official UNCDF Session at Africa Health ExCon 2026, One of Africa’s Largest Healthcare Exhibitions

August 24, 2026

From June 15 to 18, 2026, Africa Health ExCon 2026, one of the largest healthcare exhibitions and conferences in Africa, was held at the Egypt International Exhibition Center (EIEC) in Cairo, Egypt. On June 18, the final day of the event, Hiroki Ishida, Representative of AAIC's Kenyan entity, participated as a panelist in the official session titled "Catalyzing Investment for Africa's Health Sector: A Dialogue on the Africa Health Sovereignty Fund," jointly organized by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), and the European Commission (EC).

Given the scale of the event and the high level of interest it attracted from across the healthcare sector, we provide below a detailed overview of Africa Health ExCon 2026 and the discussions surrounding the Africa Health Sovereignty Fund.

Egypt International Exhibition Center（EIEC）

Africa Health ExCon: One of Africa's Largest Healthcare Exhibitions and Conferences

The Egypt International Exhibition Center (EIEC) in Cairo, where the event was held.

Africa Health ExCon is one of the largest healthcare exhibitions and conferences on the African continent. It is organized by Egypt's Unified Procurement, Medical Supply and Technology Management Authority (UPA), with the Africa CDC serving as a partner. Since its inaugural edition in 2022, the event has continued to expand under the patronage of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, with 2026 marking its fifth edition.

According to the organizers, more than 400 companies from Egypt, across Africa, and from outside the continent exhibited at the 2026 event, which attracted more than 45,000 visitors, including healthcare professionals, policymakers, and investors. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly attended the opening ceremony on behalf of President El-Sisi, alongside health ministers and former health ministers from various countries, ambassadors, and representatives of international organizations.

Key Themes and Areas of Participation

The theme of this year's event was "Health Sovereignty in Africa: Leadership, Resilience, and Self-Reliance."

More than 21 high-level panels, expert sessions, and technical workshops were held in parallel, covering a wide range of issues including the localization of pharmaceutical and medical-device manufacturing, pharmaceutical security, the implementation of digital health and AI, healthcare financing, and medical supply chains.

The Exhibition Floor

The central question across the exhibition floor was clear: how can healthcare products be made and delivered in Africa?

Egypt has one of the most developed pharmaceutical and medical-device manufacturing bases in the region, and booths operated by local manufacturers prominently showcased products under the banner "PROUDLY MADE IN EGYPT."

From Japan, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) established a Japan Pavilion, where Japanese companies showcased diagnostic and testing equipment as well as digital health solutions. At Fujifilm's booth, a live demonstration of its endoscopy system drew a large crowd of visitors.

At the same time, the presence of Chinese companies, including Mindray, has continued to grow year after year. Their large-scale booths offered integrated portfolios spanning patient monitoring equipment, ultrasound systems, and diagnostic solutions. This growing presence highlighted the increasingly competitive landscape of the African healthcare market, particularly in terms of both pricing and product breadth.

Fujifilm's booth, where a large number of visitors gathered for a live demonstration of its endoscopy system.

Mindray operated a large-scale booth at the exhibition. The presence of Chinese manufacturers in the African market continues to grow.

Ishida Participates in Session on the Africa Health Sovereignty Fund

Hiroki Ishida participated in the official side event held on June 18, titled "Catalyzing Investment for Africa's Health Sector: A Dialogue on the Africa Health Sovereignty Fund."

The session was co-hosted by Africa CDC and UNCDF, with support from the European Commission and the Government of the Netherlands. The discussion was moderated by Anders Berlin, Head of Strategic Funds at UNCDF.

The "Catalyzing Investment for Africa's Health Sector: A Dialogue on the Africa Health Sovereignty Fund" session. Ishida is seated second from the left.

Structural Challenges Facing Africa's Healthcare Sector

The discussion was set against the backdrop of significant structural pressures facing healthcare financing across Africa.

While the African continent accounts for approximately 22% of the global disease burden, it represents only around 1% of global health spending, with per-capita health expenditure standing at approximately US$85. Out-of-pocket payments account for approximately 35% of total healthcare spending, reaching 40-60% in some countries. It is estimated that around 15 million people are pushed into poverty each year as a result of healthcare costs.

In recent years, the rapid decline in external funding has placed additional pressure on this already constrained environment. External health assistance to Africa fell from US$25.8 billion in 2021, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, to approximately US$13 billion in 2025. At the same time, debt-servicing burdens have increased, projected to reach US$81 billion in 2025, further reducing fiscal space for healthcare.

While the Abuja Declaration set a target of allocating 15% of national government budgets to healthcare, more than 30 countries continue to allocate less than 10%. Meanwhile, infectious disease outbreaks increased by 41%, from 152 in 2022 to 213 in 2024.

Africa CDC and UNCDF Developing a Fund to Support Africa's Healthcare Sector

Against this backdrop, Africa CDC and UNCDF, with support from the European Commission and the Government of the Netherlands, are advancing the development of the Africa Health Sovereignty Fund (AHSF).

AHSF is being structured as a US$250 million blended-finance vehicle, with a target of achieving a US$100 million first close. By using concessional capital as a catalyst, the fund aims to mobilize additional private-sector investment.

The structure also includes a US$10 million Technical Assistance Facility, designed to provide support on both the policy and investment sides.

The fund is intended to contribute to the African Union's goal, agreed upon by the heads of state and government of all 55 AU member states, of producing 60% of the medical products used in Africa within the continent by 2040.

UNCDF is leading the initial design and structuring of the fund, while Africa CDC is responsible for aligning the initiative with the Africa's Health Security and Sovereignty (AHSS) agenda. The European Commission is responsible for coordination with the EU Global Gateway and for connecting the initiative with European public- and private-sector investors.

The fund manager is expected to be selected through a competitive process at a later stage.

Panelists

1. Anders Berlin - Head of Strategic Funds, UNCDF / Moderator
2. Charles Wetherill - Senior Programme Advisor, UNCDF
3. Daniel Ndima - CEO, CapeBi
4. Dr. Janet Byaruhanga - Senior Programme Officer, Health, AUDA-NEPAD
5. Hiroki Ishida - Representative of AAIC Partners Africa Limited in Kenya
6. Ngozi Kalu-Mba - Manager, Project Development, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)
7. Olumide Lawson - Head of Opportunity Identification & Management, Nigeria Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC)
8. Dr. Sindiswa Mzamo - Global President, Circle of Global Business Women

The panel brought together a diverse group of stakeholders-including manufacturers, continental policy institutions, private fund managers, development finance institutions, national government-led initiatives, and women entrepreneur networks-to examine from multiple perspectives how the fund should be designed to translate capital into real investment across Africa's healthcare sector.

Group photo of the panelists. Ishida is standing on the far left.

Contact

AAIC Investment Pte. Ltd.

Hiroki Ishida

Representative, Kenya Entity / Director, Egypt Entity

For inquiries, please visit the AAIC Investment contact page.