Global Mental Health Africa Conference 2027

Convened by the Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation) and the Mental Health Innovation Network (MHIN) with the support of Wellcome, the Global Mental Health Africa Conference 2027 conference (#GMHAC2027) will showcase African-led mental health research and innovation, highlighting locally driven solutions with relevance both regionally and globally. 

By convening diverse stakeholders and featuring a curated programme of groundbreaking work, the conference will amplify African contributions to global mental health, foster mutual learning and South-to-South exchange in addition to bolstering connections between research, practice, and policy. Through networking, community building, and knowledge sharing, it aims to catalyse collaboration, scale effective innovations, and build momentum for strengthening mental health systems across Africa.

Objectives of the Conference

1. Strengthened visibility and recognition of African-led mental health initiatives at national, regional, and global levels.
2. Meaningful convening of diverse stakeholder policymakers, researchers, those with lived experience, implementers, practitioners, and funders—to exchange knowledge and foster collaboration.
3. Emphasise South-to-South learning and horizontal capacity development, fostering mutual growth, shared leadership, and the formation of new partnerships and collaborative frameworks.
4. Innovations fair to facilitate linkages between implementing organisations and policy actors to support impact, evidence-informed policymaking, and scale-up of effective innovations.

Conference Thematic Tracks

The ‘Together for Mental Health: African Leadership, Global Impact’ conference will focus on four thematic tracks aligned with key priorities in African mental health.

Expanding Access to Quality Mental Health Care: This theme emphasises a broad range of platforms of care (incl. traditional and faith healing, task sharing, primary care integration, and digital health approaches); care for specific populations (including youth mental health); cultural understandings of mental health and culturally responsive care; scale, sustainability, and resilient systems; and measurement and evidence of quality and impact.

Leadership, Power, and Lived Experience in Mental Health: This theme emphasises co-production and participation, lived experience leadership, shifting power, facilitating and recognising diverse perspectives, capacity-building, advocacy, youth leadership, and family and caregiver empowerment.

Policy, Financing, and Global Advocacy for Systems Change: This theme emphasises translating evidence into policy and practice: policy reform, mental health and brain capital, sustainable financing, and systems strengthening.

Innovations and Frontiers in African Mental Health Research: This theme emphasises policy-relevant and locally African-led research, innovation, and emerging approaches advancing mental health.