AFRIHEALTH OPTONET ASSOCIATION (AHOA)
COMMUNIQUE OF THE 2026 ‘LIFE & HEALTH’ DIALOGUE SERIES, NO. 4
THEME: COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKFORCE, LEADERSHIP AND RETENTION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DATE: 27th January 2026
FORMAT: Virtual Dialogue
ORGANIZER: Afrihealth Optonet Association (AHOA)
PREPARED BY: Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje. Programmes Director, AHOA
The Afrihealth Optonet Association (AHOA) convened the 4th edition of its 2026 Life & Health Dialogue Series on 27 January 2026, bringing together civil society leaders, health practitioners, analysts, and development actors from Africa and the Global South with the theme: Community Health Workforce, Leadership and Retention in Developing Countries; to deliberate on strengthening community health workforces, with particular emphasis on leadership, motivation, retention, and enabling policy frameworks.
Participants reaffirmed that a resilient and motivated community health workforce is central to achieving universal health coverage, health equity, and sustainable development in developing countries. The Dialogue underscored the urgent need to address persistent challenges of attrition, weak leadership pipelines, inadequate financing, limited policy coherence, and insufficient integration of digital health innovations at the community level.
The Dialogue highlighted the transformative potential of digital health solutions—such as electronic medical records, telemedicine, disease surveillance platforms, and data-driven decision-making tools—in improving community-level service delivery, supervision, and accountability. Participants emphasized that digital innovations must be locally adapted, supported by capacity building, and translated into practical tools accessible to frontline health workers.
Participants agreed on the importance of strengthening leadership and management capacities within community health systems, instituting supportive supervision, and developing sustainable financing models that incentivize retention and performance. The Dialogue further stressed the need for inclusive stakeholder engagement, involving governments, civil society, academia, development partners, and communities, to ensure ownership and long-term impact.
Concerns were raised about gaps in patient rights awareness and health worker orientation, with calls for the establishment of community and facility-based health education units to promote ethical practice, mutual respect, and improved health outcomes.
The Dialogue resolved to move beyond dialogue to action through structured advocacy, policy engagement, and country-level implementation. Participants committed to developing policy briefs, advocacy documents, and practical implementation modalities tailored to national and community contexts.
Key Resolutions and Way Forward:
1. Participants will, within the next two weeks, propose concrete, country-specific modalities for translating Dialogue recommendations into action.
2. A task team will be constituted from interested participants to design and manage workshop components for future Dialogue sessions.
3. Participants will identify and share relevant national institutions, ministries, agencies, CSOs, and foundations for partnership and engagement.
4. Country representatives will serve as in-country focal points for policy and advocacy outreach, including delivery and acknowledgment of documents to national authorities.
5. Stakeholder mapping will commence at national levels to support coordinated advocacy and implementation.
6. A planning committee will develop a detailed, participatory implementation plan for national, sub-national, and community-level engagement.
7. The AHOA Secretariat will circulate all relevant outputs from the Dialogue, including the keynote address, presentations, and this Communiqué, to registered participants.
The Afrihealth Optonet Association reaffirmed its commitment to advancing evidence-informed, people-centred, and African-led solutions to strengthen community health workforces and health systems across Africa and the Global South.
Issued by:
Afrihealth Optonet Association (AHOA)
Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje
CEO and Programmes Director
27th January 2026
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HIFA Profile: Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje is a leading voice in health education, community health, and advocacy, with decades of experience advancing people-centered development across Africa and beyond. His approach to health education emphasizes participatory learning, knowledge transfer, and behavior change communication, ensuring that individuals and communities gain the skills and awareness to make informed decisions about their health. He develops and delivers innovative health promotion strategies tailored to local realities, particularly in resource-limited settings. In community health, Dr. Adirieje has championed integrated primary health care, preventive medicine, and grassroots health initiatives. Through Afrihealth Optonet Association (AHOA), which he leads, he connects civil society, community groups, and health institutions to strengthen healthcare delivery, tackle health inequities, and improve access to essential services for vulnerable populations. His work addresses infectious diseases, maternal and child health, nutrition, climate and health, environmental health, and emerging public health challenges. As a passionate advocate, Dr. Adirieje works with governments, NGOs, and international organizations to influence health policy, mobilize resources, and promote sustainable development goals (SDGs). He amplifies community voices, ensuring that health systems are inclusive, accountable, and responsive. His advocacy extends beyond health to governance, environment, and social justice, positioning him as a multidisciplinary leader shaping healthier and more equitable societies. afrepton AT gmail.com