The Prix Galien, considered the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in pharmaceutical innovation, has been recognizing major health advances for over 50 years. In this spirit, the Galien Forum Africa (GFA), launched in Dakar in 2018, has progressively established itself as a pan-African platform for strategic dialogue, bringing together policymakers, scientists, private sector actors and civil society around the continent’s major health priorities.

Building on previous editions, the 9th edition of the Galien Forum Africa will take place from 8 to 11 December 2026 at the King Fahd Palace Hotel in Dakar, Senegal, under the theme: “Mental Health in Africa: Equity and Integration into Primary Health Care – Where Do We Stand?”. This edition aims to make a significant contribution to the agenda for transforming African health systems.

According to WHO, primary health care (PHC) is the foundation for equitable and person-centred mental health interventions, especially in Africa, where specialists remain scarce. Recognizing mental health as a strategic priority for health equity and integrating it into first-line care is therefore a critical pathway for addressing this major public health issue, in line with the spirit of the 2018 Astana Declaration.

Progress has been made across the continent, but it remains modest. Functional integration of mental health into primary care has begun in several countries: 79% of countries have trained primary care workers in mental health, and some integration programmes already combine mental health with maternal health or child development. Mental health financing has also increased, from $0.1 to $0.46 per capita between 2014 and 2020, while mental health is increasingly being included in health crises and emergencies.

These advances, however, remain insufficient and highly uneven. Only 5 out of 53 countries have comprehensive mental health services at the primary level. Health systems face severe human resource shortages, with very low densities of psychiatrists and psychologists and unequal distribution between urban and rural areas. Chronic underfunding persists, at less than $0.50 per capita on average, with few dedicated budget lines. Stigma, social taboos and delays in seeking care continue to suppress demand, while information and research systems remain weak, with limited data and few impact evaluations.

Against this backdrop, the Galien Forum Africa 2026 will bring together policymakers, researchers, health professionals, young innovators and community leaders to assess progress, identify persistent obstacles and promote innovative solutions for the equitable integration of mental health into African health systems.

The Galien Forum Africa 2026 aims to contribute to the sustainable transformation of African health systems by integrating mental health as an essential component of primary health care, from a perspective of equity, resilience and health sovereignty.

Its vision is to make mental health a central pillar of African health sovereignty by fully integrating it into primary health care, public policies and human development strategies. This vision is grounded in care models adapted to African realities, based on equity, innovation, community participation and the valorization of local resources, in order to guarantee sustainable, inclusive and quality access to mental health services for all populations.