On 30 April 2026, ICA Africa and the CIC Group hosted a workshop in Nairobi titled “Leveraging health cooperative systems to promote good health and well-being in Africa”. The event convened policymakers and experts to address healthcare affordability and accessibility challenges across the continent.
IHCO President Carlos Zarco participated via a video message, highlighting the organisation’s firm commitment to the development of cooperative healthcare in Africa.
Discussions focused on the success of micro-insurance schemes in reducing out-of-pocket costs for informal workers, alongside international case studies from Brazil, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
The workshop emphasised that community-owned clinics and healthcare worker cooperatives provide a responsive alternative to traditional top-down systems. As Africa pursues Universal Health Coverage, cooperative models are increasingly recognised as a viable pathway to reach underserved populations.
Participants concluded with a shared commitment to scale innovations and strengthen policy environments to bolster regional health systems from the ground up.