Title : Africa centres for disease control and prevention (Africa CDC), Dominican republic

Africa’s youth (aged 15–35) comprise approximately 70% of the continent’s population, yet they remain largely underrepresented in health governance and leadership. Historical public health models have often treated youth as passive beneficiaries rather than active architects of health policy. To address this, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) launched the YES! Health Strategy (Strategy for Youth Engagement and Participation in Global Health 2025-2028) in late 2025. This presentation will explore how this first-of-its-kind framework is redefining global health security by transitioning youth from tokenistic inclusion to institutionalized co-ownership.

The YES!Health Strategy was developed through a multi-phase, evidence-based consultative process involving over 250 youth delegates across African Union Member States. The framework is built on five strategic pillars:

1. Architectures for Youth Engagement: Establishing continental and national frameworks for mainstreaming youth engagement.
2. Accessible and Inclusive Spaces: Creating digital and physical platforms for knowledge exchange.
3. Youth-led Oriented         Partnerships: Promoting       youth-oriented,            multi-sectoral collaborations.
4. Talent/Workforce Development: Capacity building through training, mentorship, and fellowships.
5. Financing Youth-led Initiatives: Securing sustainable funding mechanisms for youthled innovation.

Early implementation phases (2025–2026) have yielded significant milestones. The Bingwa PLUS Y-Health Incubator recently awarded funding and mentorship to 15 top youth-led innovations chosen from a continental pool of hundreds, addressing challenges from vaccine distribution to digital disease surveillance. Additionally, initiatives like the Young Digital Health Champions (Y-DHC) Programme have successfully onboarded a specialized cohort of leaders to drive Africa’s digital transformation. These efforts aim to facilitate youth representation in national health financing planning across African countries, demonstrating that youth-led models can bridge critical gaps in community-based interventions and disease response.

The YES! Health Strategy is designed to mobilize, empower and engage young Africans in shaping the continent’s public health landscape. It recognizes youth as current leaders and key partners in Africa’s health security. It aims to create enabling policy environments for youth leadership in African public health.

It provides a scalable blueprint for global health agencies to leverage the "demographic dividend" of a young population. By institutionalizing youth voices within the Africa Health Security and Sovereignty, Africa CDC, through its Youth Programme, is moving toward a self-reliant, inclusive health architecture. The strategy proves that meaningful youth engagement is not just a social imperative but a scientific and operational necessity for achieving sustainable health security and equity.

Dr. Kaniki is a public health expert and Senior Technical Officer at Africa CDC, where he leads Strategic Youth Programmes. He coordinates flagship initiatives, including the African Union Bingwa Initiatives, the Youth Advisory Team for Health, and the Youth in Digital Health Network. Bridging clinical practice with strategic communication, Dr. Kaniki is a prominent advocate for transformative health policies across Africa. Driven by a passion for social equity, he focuses on shaping narratives and implementing programs that empower young leaders. His dedication ensures the development of impactful health strategies designed to improve the well-being, leadership and future of Africa’s youth.