The Minister of Health, Public Hygiene, and Universal Health Coverage, Pierre N’Gou Dimba, received the members of the 5th cohort of the Kofi Annan Global Health Leadership Residential Program on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at his office.

This meeting is part of an immersive visit to Côte d’Ivoire’s health system, taking place from February 28 to March 7, 2026, in Abidjan, allowing participants to better understand the reforms undertaken and the achievements made by the Ivorian government.

The 2026 cohort, consisting of representatives from Senegal, Malawi, Madagascar, Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Gambia, Botswana, Uganda, and Tanzania, completed advanced leadership training focused on global health diplomacy, change management, and strategic influence on public policy.

During the audience, Pierre N’Gou Dimba reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening the health system sustainably. He also highlighted that cooperation with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) aims to consolidate human capital and promote African solutions to continental challenges.

Before the meeting, the delegation of around twenty experts conducted an immersive visit to the Pasteur Institute of Côte d’Ivoire (IPCI) in Adiopodoumé. Key stops included:

·       The Molecular Genetics Platform, where pathogen genomes and variants are analyzed and sequenced.

·       The Department of Epidemic Viruses, at the forefront of threats like Lassa fever and measles.

·       The Biological Resources Center, a crucial hub for research.

·       The construction site of the future Center for Pathogens of High-Risk Infectious Diseases (CEPRIS), a P4-level facility dedicated to studying the world’s most dangerous viruses.

This immersion into scientific innovation symbolizes an Africa working in unison to build its health sovereignty. “The IPCI is a model not only for Africa but for the world,” said Dr. Alex Coutinho, Director of the Kofi Annan Program and head of the delegation, praising the quality of facilities and expertise developed at IPCI. He emphasized that Africa’s strength lies in synergy through shared biological resources via the biobank.

Hosted for the first time in a Francophone country, specifically Côte d’Ivoire, this high-level workshop provided future leaders with advanced skills to design, implement, and lead effective public health strategies, contributing to the emergence of a new health order on the continent.