Launch African Federation of Public Health Associations

During the 61st Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, national African Public Health Associations held meetings and worked towards the formation and launch of the African Federation of Public Health Associations (AFPHA).

The meeting was attended by representatives of 27 countries and adopted a constitution and Bylaws of the Federation. Thereafter, they elected the Executive Committee as follows:

• President: Dr Mathias Some (Burkina Faso);
• Vice President: Dr Flavia Senkubuge (South Africa);
• Secretary: Dr Tewabech Beshaw (Ethiopia).

Five other committee members were elected from Algeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique and Uganda.

The African Federation of Public Health Associations was launched at a special session of the Regional Committee on Wednesday 31st August, 2011. WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo, the President of the World Federation of Public Health Associations, Prof Ulrich Laaser, the new President of the African Federation of Public Health Associations Dr Matias Somé and Dr. Tewabech Bishaw the Co-Chair of the organizing Committee of the 13th World Congress on public health to be held in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, 23 to 27 April 2012 addressed the gallery during the launch. The Secretariat of the AFPHA will be based in the Ethiopian Public Health Association in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

• The Vision of AFPHA is to have a healthy productive population in Africa.
• The mission of AFPHA is therefore to engage all key stakeholders in Africa and the world, through active national Public Health Associations and an active Federation, to influence policies, strategies and activities that will positively impact the health of all the African people.

The membership of the Federation (AFPHA) is open to all multidisciplinary national Public Health Associations in the African countries. However other public health entities can collaborate with the Federation as associate members or as active partners.