Deadline: April 2, 2026
The AVOHC Kofi Annan Scholars Program 2026 is a prestigious initiative designed to strengthen Africa’s public health systems by mobilising highly skilled African professionals to support national health institutions across the continent.
The programme is implemented under the African Volunteer Health Corps (AVoHC) and coordinated by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) under the African Union.
Through this initiative, selected professionals are deployed to support member states with technical expertise, capacity building, and public health emergency responses. The programme honours the legacy of the late Kofi Annan by promoting African leadership and collaboration in addressing critical health challenges.
Scholars selected under this programme will become part of a continental network of public health professionals committed to strengthening health security and advancing sustainable health systems across Africa.
About the African Volunteer Health Corps (AVoHC)
The African Volunteer Health Corps (AVoHC) is a strategic initiative established to create a pool of skilled African professionals who can be rapidly deployed to support health programmes and emergency responses across African Union member states.
The corps consists of experts from different disciplines within the public health sector and related fields. These professionals provide technical support to national governments, health institutions, and regional bodies.
The AVOHC Kofi Annan Scholars Program 2026 specifically focuses on engaging experienced professionals who can contribute to strengthening health systems, improving policies, and supporting the implementation of strategic health programmes across Africa.
Programme Benefits
Although the programme is structured as a volunteer-based fellowship, selected scholars receive several benefits and logistical support during their deployments.
Benefits include:
- Round-trip economy class travel tickets
- Coverage of travel-related expenses
- Health insurance during the assignment period
- Communication allowance
- Incidentals allowance
- Risk allowance
- Accommodation allowance when deployed outside the city of residence
- Certificate of recognition upon successful completion of the assignment
Participants also gain access to professional networking opportunities, training programmes, and mentorship within the African public health ecosystem.
Programme Structure and Deployment
Successful applicants will be included in the AVoHC expert pool, from which experts are selected for assignments based on requests from African Union member states and partner institutions.
Key aspects of the deployment structure include:
- Deployments are on-call and project-based
- Assignments are determined by Africa CDC in collaboration with member states
- Deployment duration varies depending on the project and country needs
- Experts provide technical support to national governments, ministries of health, and relevant public health institutions
Through these assignments, scholars contribute directly to strengthening health systems and improving health service delivery across the continent.
Areas of Expertise
The programme seeks experienced professionals from a wide range of disciplines related to health systems strengthening and public health management.
Examples of areas of expertise include:
- Strategy Development
- Accreditation and Standards
- Resource Mobilisation
- Financial Management
- Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS)
- Public Health Policy
- Health Systems Strengthening
- Institutional Capacity Development
Experts in these areas play a key role in helping African institutions develop policies, strengthen regulatory systems, and improve public health responses.
Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for the AVOHC Kofi Annan Scholars Program 2026, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Must be a citizen of an African Union member state
- Must possess relevant academic qualifications, such as a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, or equivalent professional certifications
- Must have demonstrated expertise and professional experience in a relevant field
- Must show strong leadership and technical capacity
- Must be proficient in at least one African Union working language (English, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, or Swahili)
Applicants are expected to demonstrate a commitment to strengthening Africa’s health systems and contributing to the continent’s public health development.
Required Application Documents
Applicants are required to submit the following documents during the application process:
- Updated Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Academic certificates
- Copy of a valid African passport
- Any additional supporting documents relevant to the role
It is important that all documents are submitted correctly to ensure successful consideration during the selection process.
Why You Should Apply
The AVOHC Kofi Annan Scholars Program 2026 provides a unique opportunity for African professionals to make meaningful contributions to health development across the continent.
Participants will:
- Contribute to strengthening Africa’s public health systems
- Support national governments with specialised expertise
- Gain valuable international professional experience
- Expand their professional networks across Africa
- Participate in impactful health system development initiatives
The programme also provides an opportunity for professionals to work collaboratively with leading institutions and experts committed to improving health outcomes across Africa.
Application Deadline
Application deadlines vary depending on the specific expert role and deployment needs. Some calls for applications are expected to close between March and April 2026.
Applicants are encouraged to apply early to avoid missing the opportunity.
How to Apply
Interested applicants should carefully review the programme requirements and submit their application through the official platform.
Contact us for proposal drafting, refining and review.
