An international  Africa health conference opened in Nairobi, Kenya, with calls for  research-based interventions, Africa-suitable solutions and leadership to enable Africa overcome  its health challenges that include the tragedy of Ebola which has left over 5000 people dead mainly in  West Africa.

The three-day conference under the theme, ‘Evidence to Action: Lasting Health Change for Africa,’ is an initiative of Africa Medical Research Foundation, Amref, and co-sponsored by WHO.

The conference being held at the Safari Park Hotel, has brought together scientists and health experts, technologists, leaders in health and supporting partners in the industry from within and outside the continent.

Giving the keynote address, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Health Mr James Macharia said African problems must have sustainable and African-based solutions and called for multi-sectoral partnerships  to enable building of  appropriate competences, training and  incremental  investment changes  in education.

Africa he said, was still ailing from a new surge of Non-Communicable Diseases, including diabetes and heart diseases;  Ebola;   HIV/Aids among others and faced challenges with inadequate and unequal distribution of  health workers, healthcare financing and lack of  infrastructure and equipment.

He hailed efforts by the EA community in which member states had in solidarity offered to send over 600 health workers to West Africa to support efforts to deal with Ebola Virus Disease.  Kenya would send about half the number (300).

Speaking at the conference, WHO Kenya Country Representative Dr Custodia Mandlhate said majority of governments in the African region had made efforts to increase investments in the health sector towards achieving the health-related MDGs. However, the modest investments they had made had yet to translate into health outcomes to enable attainment of the MDGs by 2015.

The health burden was also exacerbated by the rise in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) projected to  increase by15 per cent  in the next two decades, man-made disasters, socio-political unrest which led to destruction of health infrastructure and population  displacement.

She called for evidence–based research to support health interventions and policies, evaluation of the disease burden, improving access to essential medicines, vaccines and other health products as well as improving information systems and disease surveillance.

“We are here to remind ourselves that the goal of a lasting health change in Africa should be to promote and sustain African-led research and innovations to discover, develop and deliver affordable new health tools to address African public health needs,” she said.

She called on African countries to step up 'research and innovation’  efforts by developing their own capacity, creating funding lines for health research and innovation, and fostering regional and international collaboration on the basis of their own  priorities.

The Amref Director-General Dr Teguest Guerma said an imported but ignored African disease was leadership which was necessary for proper accountability and management of resources.

“We must all play our part if we are experience lasting health care and Africa should stop expecting outside help but contribute to the health solutions.”

She urged governments to involve and empower communities as part of the solution and build the capacity of community health care workers who were vital bridge between the community and the health system.

Prof Richard Muga, the Amref Health Africa international Board representative  called for African governments to  enhance  governance  in the health sector and ensure health systems that track performance, availability of drugs in health facilities and  output of health workers  in government facilities and those run by the civil society.

A conducive regulatory environment was necessary for NGOs to support the   work of government, he added.

Mr Macharia further said Kenya had made progress in reducing maternal mortality from 460 deaths per 100 000 in 2010 to 360 deaths per 100,000 in 2013. Child Mortality had also been reduced from 114 under- five deaths in 2000 to 73 under- five deaths per  1000 live births in 2013.