03/06/2026
Next up in line: Plenary Session – Economic Case for Self-Care in Achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC): Case Studies from Countries.
As countries across Africa navigate shrinking donor funding and growing demand for sexual and reproductive health services, self-care is increasingly being recognized as a cost-effective strategy for expanding access and strengthening health systems. This plenary will examine the evidence, policy considerations, and practical experiences that make the economic case for investing in self-care as a pathway towards achieving Universal Health Coverage.
Moderated by Dr. Edison Omollo, Programs Director at , the session will feature insights from Dr. Edward Serem, Head of the Division of Reproductive Health at ; Noor Nakibuuka, Deputy Executive Director at ; George Kapiyo, Senior Advisor and Technical Project Lead at /PSI; Mallah Tabot, Acting Director of Membership Support and Development at ; and Peace Merisha, Pan-African Youth Leadership Academy Fellow and Youth Advocate.
The panelists will explore how governments can sustainably finance and integrate self-care into primary healthcare systems, lessons from implementing self-care policies at community and facility levels, and evidence from SCTG-supported countries demonstrating the health and economic returns of self-care investments. The discussion will also highlight the role of civil society in supporting institutionalization efforts and ensuring resilient, people-centred health systems.
Importantly, the session will centre the experiences of young people, examining how self-care interventions have improved access, privacy, autonomy, and informed decision-making while identifying the barriers that must still be addressed to ensure equitable access for all.
