Meet the Speakers Scheduled for the 2026 AHC Annual Convening

Ms. Prudence Ngwenya is the Director of the Women, Gender, and Youth Directorate at the African Union Commission, providing strategic leadership on gender equality, women’s empowerment, and youth development under AU Agenda 2063. With over 20 years of leadership experience, she spearheaded the conceptualization of the AUC Chairperson’s 1 Million Next Level Initiative, which aims to reach 300 million African youth by 2030. She champions gender parity, youth inclusion, and sustainable development across Africa.

Dr. Githinji Gitahi is the Group Chief Executive Officer of Amref Health Africa and a prominent advocate for universal health coverage. With extensive experience across the health, media, and private sectors, he previously served as Vice President and Regional Director for Africa at Smile Train International. He has co-chaired the global UHC2030 movement and contributed to major global and regional health initiatives, championing equitable access to quality healthcare.

Prof. Joachim Osur is the Vice Chancellor of Amref International University and a renowned public health and sexual and reproductive health expert. A medical practitioner specializing in sexual medicine, he has extensive experience in health systems strengthening, higher education, and reproductive health across Africa. He holds a medical degree, a Master’s in Public Health, and a PhD in Reproductive Health, and has authored numerous scholarly publications and books.

Ambassador John N. Nkengasong is a distinguished virologist and global health leader with over 30 years of experience in public health. At the Mastercard Foundation, he oversees higher education and health workforce development portfolios. Previously, he served as U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Senior Bureau Official for Global Health Security and Diplomacy, and founding Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), where he helped coordinate Africa’s COVID-19 response. Recognised among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in 2021, he has received numerous international honours, including the Virchow Prize for Global Health.

Prof. Dancan Irungu is a senior academic and health systems leader at Amref International University, where he serves as Principal of the Institute of Sustainability and Innovations. With over a decade of experience working across African health systems, he specializes in entrepreneurship, corporate strategy, organizational development, and project management. He has advised and consulted on initiatives supported by governments and international development partners, with a strong focus on institutional strengthening and sustainable development.

Dr. Penina Lam leads U of T’s partnerships with Africa and the implementation of the AHC, which nurtures talent development and entrepreneurship among African youth. She oversees the Secretariat team, working with African institutions and the Mastercard Foundation. Her earlier work includes organizational development consulting at the World Bank in the health and education sectors.

John Nyagaka is a Kenyan health informatics professional passionate about leveraging technology, data and innovation to strengthen health systems. He holds a Master of Health Informatics from the University of Toronto and currently serves as Chairperson of the Africa Health Collaborative Young Leaders Table, where he champions youth engagement and leadership.

Carine Idani is a statistician and PhD researcher at the University of Montpellier whose work focuses on the mathematical modelling of vector-borne diseases. She is also co-founder of MESO+, a youth-led initiative addressing postpartum depression through innovative solutions.

Cynthia Umugwaneza is a software engineering graduate from African Leadership University and a member of the Africa Health Collaborative’s Young Leaders Table. She is passionate about using technology, data and innovation to improve mental health and well-being and advocates for youth-led innovation in health systems.

Dr. Nathina Pakade is a Public Health Medicine Registrar with experience spanning clinical medicine, infectious disease and vaccine research, and implementation science. Her work focuses on strengthening public health capacity, community engagement and primary healthcare in South Africa.

Nicole Nhyira Nanka-Bruce is an AI engineer and entrepreneur pursuing an MSc in Intelligent Computing Systems at Ashesi University. She is the founder of Belmont Solutions, a health-tech initiative developing AI-powered tools to improve access to eye care and strengthen healthcare delivery in African communities.

Ambassador John N. Nkengasong is a distinguished virologist and global health leader with over 30 years of experience in public health. At the Mastercard Foundation, he oversees higher education and health workforce development portfolios. Previously, he served as U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Senior Bureau Official for Global Health Security and Diplomacy, and founding Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), where he helped coordinate Africa’s COVID-19 response. Recognised among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in 2021, he has received numerous international honours, including the Virchow Prize for Global Health.

Prof. Joachim Osur is the Vice Chancellor of Amref International University and a renowned public health and sexual and reproductive health expert. A medical practitioner specializing in sexual medicine, he has extensive experience in health systems strengthening, higher education, and reproductive health across Africa. He holds a medical degree, a Master’s in Public Health, and a PhD in Reproductive Health, and has authored numerous scholarly publications and books.

Prof. Angela Owusu-Ansah brings more than three decades of academic and leadership experience in Ghana and the United States. As Provost of Ashesi University, she champions excellence and innovation in higher education, with a focus on teaching and learning, research capacity, and student success. Her work advances higher education quality, leadership development, and institutional transformation across Africa.

Dr. Peter Nsubuga is a physician, epidemiologist and global health leader with extensive experience strengthening health systems and workforce development across Africa. As Senior Director, Health Workforce at the Mastercard Foundation, he leads initiatives that support the training, retention and advancement of health professionals, helping to build resilient and responsive health systems across the continent.

Dr. Penina Lam leads U of T’s partnerships with Africa and the implementation of the AHC, which nurtures talent development and entrepreneurship among African youth. She oversees the Secretariat team, working with African institutions and the Mastercard Foundation. Her earlier work includes organizational development consulting at the World Bank in the health and education sectors.