1st Africa Health Summit

July 25-26, 2024

The Conference Centre, Assemblies of God Guest house, Gamel Abdul Nasser Ave, Accra, Ghana

Theme- Enhancing Mental Health and general wellbeing in the Workplace: A call to action

Mental health in the workplace is a critical and emerging issue that affects the well-being, productivity, and performance of employees and employers alike. According to the World Health Organization, more than 264 million people suffer from depression, one of the leading causes of disability, with many of these people also suffering from symptoms of anxiety. A recent study estimated that depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy US$ 1 trillion each year in lost productivity.

The topic of mental health in the workplace is especially relevant for Africa, as the continent faces multiple challenges such as poverty, conflict, disease, and environmental degradation, which can have a negative impact on the mental health of its population. Moreover, Africa has a young and growing workforce, with more than 200 million people aged between 15 and 24, making it the continent with the youngest population in the world.

This presents a unique opportunity for Africa to harness the potential of its human capital and foster a culture of mental health awareness and support in the workplace. The main challenges for improving mental health in the workplace in Africa include: lack of awareness and stigma, limited access to mental health services and resources, inadequate policies and legislation, and insufficient training and capacity building for employers and employees .

The main opportunities include:

Leveraging the existing initiatives and networks of mental health advocates and professionals in Africa, promoting the integration of mental health into primary health care and occupational health and safety, advocating for the inclusion of mental health in the sustainable development goals and the African Union Agenda 2063, and empowering the youth and women to become agents of change for mental health in the workplace .

The expected outcomes and benefits of attending the summit are: Increasing the knowledge and awareness of the participants on the importance and impact of mental health in the workplace, sharing the best practices and lessons learned from the experiences and initiatives of different countries and sectors in Africa and beyond, building the skills and competencies of the participants to implement effective and evidence-based interventions and strategies for mental health in the workplace, and creating a network and platform for collaboration and advocacy among the participants and the stakeholders for mental health in the workplace. Content and Methodology. The main themes and topics that will be covered in the summit are: The current situation and trends of mental health in the workplace in Africa and the world, the challenges and opportunities for improving mental health in the workplace in Africa, the policies and frameworks for mental health in the workplace at the global, regional, and national levels, the best practices and innovations for mental health in the workplace from different sectors and contexts, and the action plan and recommendations for mental health in the workplace in Africa. Issues around depression will be discussed as well. At the breakout sessions, putting general wellbeing in the the spotlight, there will be a focus on Men and Women's health. The format and structure of the summit will consist of: Keynote speeches from prominent and influential speakers from the fields of mental health, public health, business, and policy, panel discussions with experts and practitioners from different countries and sectors, workshops with facilitators and trainers on various topics and skills related to mental health in the workplace, poster presentations with researchers and innovators showcasing their projects and findings on mental health in the workplace, and networking sessions with participants and stakeholders to exchange ideas and contacts for future collaboration and advocacy. The target audience of the summit are: policy makers and leaders from the government, business leaders, health professionals, civil society, and international organizations, employers and managers from the private and public sectors, employees and workers from different industries and professions, mental health professionals and advocates from the health and social sectors, academics and researchers from the education and research sectors, and youth and women from the community and grassroots levels. The level of participation and interaction of the summit will be high and diverse, as the summit aims to engage and empower the participants to actively contribute to the content and outcomes of the summit.

The summit will use various methods and tools to facilitate the participation and interaction of the participants, such as online surveys and polls, breakout rooms and group discussions, Q&A and feedback sessions, games and icebreakers, and social media and online platforms.

Speakers

The speakers, facilitators, and experts who will contribute to the summit will be selected and invited based on their expertise and experience on the topic of mental health in the workplace, their relevance and representation of the themes and topics of the summit, their diversity and inclusivity of the perspectives and voices of the participants and the stakeholders, and their availability and commitment to the objectives and outcomes of the summit.