Published: 14 October 2026
Nairobi, Kenya — 10–11 October 2026
Dicta Care Initiative (DCI) participated in The World’s First Lung Health Resolution: Mobilising a Network of Advocates in Africa, a two-day gathering held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 10–11 October 2026. The event was convened by the European Respiratory Society (ERS), the Pan African Thoracic Society (PATS) and regional partners to strengthen collaboration and advance lung health across Africa.
The conference brought together respiratory health stakeholders, healthcare professionals, researchers, advocates and other partners to discuss practical approaches to improving lung health, addressing barriers to care and strengthening advocacy across the continent.
Addressing Africa’s Lung Health Challenges
Lung health remains an important public-health concern, with communities facing challenges related to prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and access to appropriate healthcare services.
Throughout the conference, participants explored several issues affecting lung health across Africa, including climate change and environmental risks, tobacco and nicotine control, sustainable financing, local production, research, disease registries and the implementation of evidence-based policies and guidelines.
Discussions also highlighted the importance of effective policy enforcement, public awareness, stronger partnerships and community-level initiatives in addressing these challenges.
These conversations reinforced the need for coordinated action that connects healthcare systems, policymakers, researchers, civil-society organisations and the communities most affected by respiratory diseases.
Improving Early Detection and Access to Care
The second day focused on early detection and access to lung-health services. Participants examined barriers such as limited funding, low public awareness, insufficient training, inadequate diagnostic equipment, supply-chain constraints and difficulties implementing established clinical guidelines.
The discussions also emphasised the importance of making healthcare services available, affordable and accessible to the people who need them.
Another important issue was the need for clearer communication about respiratory diseases, including the use of local languages and terminology that communities can understand. Improving public understanding can help people recognise symptoms, seek appropriate care and participate more effectively in prevention efforts.
The conference concluded with capacity-building discussions on implementing evidence-based guidelines and developing effective coalitions to support lung-health action.
The Role of Civil Society in Advancing Lung Health
One of the key lessons from the gathering was the importance of involving civil-society organisations and patients in lung-health advocacy.
While specialised respiratory organisations and healthcare professionals provide essential technical expertise, civil-society organisations can help extend awareness and engagement into communities through their existing programmes and networks.
Organisations working in education, mental health, community health, disability inclusion and support for vulnerable populations may be able to incorporate relevant lung-health information into their activities without changing their core missions. This could include community awareness sessions, health education, prevention messaging and connecting people with reliable health information and appropriate services.
For Nigeria, stronger collaboration between civil-society organisations, respiratory-health experts, healthcare professionals, government institutions and other partners could create opportunities for knowledge exchange, training and technical support.
Such collaboration should build on existing initiatives and national priorities while helping organisations understand how they can contribute meaningfully to lung-health advocacy.
What This Means for Dicta Care Initiative
For Dicta Care Initiative, participation in the Nairobi gathering provided an opportunity to engage with wider conversations about lung health, public-health advocacy and cross-sector collaboration.
DCI works across community health, mental health, education, women’s and girls’ empowerment, disability inclusion and support for vulnerable communities. These areas of work create opportunities to engage communities on interconnected public-health issues and to explore how lung-health awareness can complement existing community programmes.
The conference reinforced the value of partnerships, accessible health information and community participation in improving health outcomes. It also highlighted the importance of ensuring that civil-society organisations have access to the knowledge, guidance and technical support needed to contribute effectively.
As DCI continues its work in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, the organisation looks forward to opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaboration that support stronger community engagement in lung health and broader public-health initiatives.
Turning Commitments into Action
The discussions in Nairobi highlighted that improving lung health requires sustained commitment beyond a single conference. Progress will depend on stronger partnerships, better data collection and research, improved access to prevention and care, effective implementation of guidelines, and meaningful involvement of civil society and patients.
For organisations working directly with communities, the next step is to explore practical ways to translate these discussions into awareness, collaboration and action.
Dicta Care Initiative recognises the importance of working with relevant stakeholders to support healthier communities and welcomes opportunities to contribute to collaborative public-health efforts.
Together, through knowledge-sharing, community participation and meaningful partnerships, we can help advance lung health across Africa.
