<p></p><p><img src="/nairobi/PublishingImages/Addis%20body%20image.jpg" alt="" style="margin: 5px;"/> </p><p>African countries must look beyond building more facilities and develop connected health systems that enable patients to find, trust and access high-quality specialist care within the continent.</p><p>Speaking at a media roundtable in Addis Ababa, Rashid Khalani, Chief Executive Officer of Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH,N), outlined four priorities for strengthening healthcare across the continent: consistently delivering care benchmarked against international standards, training and retaining specialists, investing in African-led research, and creating simpler pathways for patients who need to travel across borders for treatment.</p><p>“Patients travel long distances for treatment because they want confidence in the diagnosis, the doctors, the safety and quality of care, and the continuity of treatment,&quot; said Mr Khalani. “Africa will reduce overseas medical travel when we build greater trust in the quality of care available on the continent.&quot;</p><p>The call comes as Africa faces a growing burden of chronic illness alongside persistent shortages of skilled health professionals. Noncommunicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory conditions account for close to 40 per cent of deaths in Africa, according to the World Health Organization.</p><p>Access to care across the continent has improved in recent decades through the expansion of health facilities, investment in equipment and the training of more healthcare workers. Mr Khalani, however, noted that investment in buildings and technology must be matched by greater investment in training specialists who can respond to the changing disease burden.</p><p>“A new hospital can be completed within a few years, but training of specialists takes much longer,&quot; said Mr Khalani.</p><p>Aga Khan University offers nine postgraduate medical residency programmes leading to master&#39;s degrees, 16 clinical fellowship programmes providing subspecialty training after a master&#39;s degree, five nursing programmes and an undergraduate medical programme leading to an MBChB degree. More than 180 full-time faculty members combine patient care with teaching and research, helping to train specialists who understand the region&#39;s disease patterns and health-system realities.</p><p>Mr Khalani said patients will have greater confidence in African healthcare when quality is measurable, independently validated and consistently delivered.</p><p>AKUH,N became the first hospital in East Africa to achieve Joint Commission International accreditation in 2013. The hospital also holds specialised JCI certifications for heart attack and acute stroke care, while its laboratory is accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS).</p><p>“Owing to our various international accreditation, we receive many patients from African countries who get the confidence that the quality of care they receive is benchmarked among the best hospitals globally.&quot;</p><p>He also called for greater investment in research that reflects African populations, disease patterns and healthcare settings. Despite accounting for 17 per cent of the world&#39;s population and 25 per cent of the global disease burden, Africa is represented in only 4 per cent of global clinical trials.</p><p>“Africa should not remain a consumer of medical knowledge,&quot; said Mr Khalani. “We must generate evidence and knowledge that respond to the needs of our populations and contribute to global science.&quot;</p><p>AKUH,N&#39;s Clinical Research Unit, established in 2020, has supported 18 studies, involved more than 600 research participants and trained over 150 healthcare professionals in clinical investigation.</p><p>The hospital has also implemented a comprehensive electronic health record system that connects clinical, laboratory, pharmacy and imaging information. The system supports patient care, education and locally relevant research while providing a secure foundation for the responsible use of artificial intelligence.</p><p>Mr Khalani said strong primary and national health systems should remain the foundation of care. However, because highly specialised services cannot be available in every hospital, countries also need reliable regional referral networks.</p><p>In 2025, the hospital partnered with Kenya Airways to provide a more coordinated medical travel pathway for African patients. The partnership includes medical clearance before travel, in-flight medical support where required, airport transfers and coordinated access to specialised services such as oncology, cardiology, surgery and critical care.</p><p>“Our ambition is not to replace the patient&#39;s doctor or health system in their home country&quot; said Mr Khalani. “It is to create a connected continuum of care. When advanced treatment is required, the patient should be assessed before travelling, supported throughout the journey and returned to the care of their home-country doctor with a clear follow-up plan.&quot;</p><p>He invited hospitals, universities, insurers, employers, regulators, aviation partners and policymakers in Ethiopia and across the continent to explore partnerships in specialist referrals, professional training, research, telemedicine and coordinated patient travel.</p><p>“Africa already has the talent, institutions and ambition required to transform healthcare,&quot; Mr Khalani said. “The next step is to connect these strengths so that more Africans can receive the care they need, closer to home and with confidence in its quality.&quot;

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