Dr. Simon Antara Calls on Emerging Health Leaders to Drive Africa’s Health Transformation
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AFENET
The Director of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Dr. Simon Antara, has challenged graduates of the 5th Cohort of the Kofi Annan Fellows for Global Health Leadership Program to use their knowledge, skills, and leadership abilities to transform health systems across Africa.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony, Dr. Antara described the fellowship as a strategic investment in Africa’s future, noting that the continent’s progress will be determined by the quality of its leadership.
“Today, we gather not merely to celebrate a graduation. We gather to celebrate a strategic investment in Africa’s future, Africa’s future will not be written by circumstances. It will be written by leaders.”
Dr. Antara emphasized that while Africa continues to face emerging epidemics, climate-related health threats, misinformation, resource constraints, and growing pressure on health systems, the continent’s greatest need is strong leadership capable of turning evidence into action and building resilience for future generations.
He commended the African Union, Africa CDC, the Kofi Annan Foundation, faculty members, and partners for their commitment to developing a new generation of public health leaders equipped to address the continent’s evolving challenges.
Highlighting lessons from major public health achievements, Dr. Antara noted that leadership has been central to transformative progress, from the eradication of smallpox to the global response to HIV, COVID-19, and mpox.
“The future of Africa’s health security will be determined by the quality of decisions made by health leaders across the continent,” he said.
Addressing the graduating fellows, Dr. Antara urged them to embrace five core leadership principles: integrity, courage, compassion, innovation, and purpose.
He reminded the graduates that trust remains the most valuable currency in public health and encouraged them to make difficult decisions with courage, keep communities at the center of their work, embrace emerging technologies and innovation, and remain focused on creating meaningful impact.
“Leadership today is less about authority and more about influence; less about position and more about service; less about titles and more about impact,” he said.
Dr. Antara also reaffirmed AFENET’s commitment to supporting Africa CDC, governments, and partners in advancing health sovereignty and strengthening health security across the continent through workforce development, surveillance systems, emergency preparedness, research, and innovative financing.
In closing, he shared a powerful story about a young man holding a butterfly in his hands and asking a wise elder whether it was alive or dead. The elder responded, “The answer is in your palm.”
Drawing a parallel to the graduating fellows, Dr. Antara challenged them to decide how they would use the leadership training they had received.
“You’ve gotten knowledge, skills, and leadership qualities. What are you going to do with all this? Is it going to be business as usual, or is it going to be transformation in our health sector? The answer to that question is in your palm,” he concluded.
The Kofi Annan Fellows for Global Health Leadership Program, implemented by Africa CDC with support from partners including AFENET, seeks to strengthen strategic leadership and management capacity among senior public health professionals across Africa, contributing to the continent’s journey toward health sovereignty and sustainable health security.
