Nine recommendations across leadership, innovation and employment emerged from Ubuntu Rising 2026, as more than 80 young health professionals, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs and higher education representatives came together to identify practical changes needed to strengthen young people’s role in Africa’s health systems. Convened by the Africa Health Collaborative and hosted by the University of Cape Town ahead of the 18th World Congress on Public Health, Ubuntu Rising was designed to move beyond consultation and give young people a direct role in shaping priorities and solutions for the continent’s health future. The recommendations will contribute to the Collaborative’s Youth Agenda and inform its future programming and partnerships. The discussions took place against a striking employment and health workforce paradox. Figures from the Mastercard Foundation’s Africa Youth Employment Outlook 2026, cited by Prof. Brandon Collier-Reed during the event, show that 90% of employed young Africans work in the informal economy, while only 10% of youth jobs are formal. 34% of employed young Africans live in households below the $2.15-a-day poverty line, and just 9% have completed tertiary education. In health, the gap is equally significant. According to the WHO Regional Office for Africa’s Health Workforce Reports 2024 and 2025, also cited during Ubuntu Rising, Africa faces a...
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