Africa’s premier healthcare and laboratory science event, WHX Cape Town (formerly Africa Health) opened at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on 2 September 2025. Co-located with WHX Labs Cape Town, the event opened with milestone partnership agreements and a full programme of CPD-accredited conferences, highlighting African innovation and global engagement.
The opening day of WHX Cape Town and WHX Labs Cape Town set the tone for three days of knowledge sharing, innovation and cross-border collaboration under the theme of Healthcare Without Borders: African Insights, Global Impact.
The day began with the official ribbon cutting at the CTICC led by Mireille Wenger, Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness, alongside Paul Miller, CEO of Cipla Africa, Mandi Swanepoel, Health Tech Ecosytem Manager at Wesgro, including Daniel Green, Exhibition Manager – Healthcare and Tom Coleman, Portfolio Director at Informa Markets.
Their presence underscored the commitment to positioning Cape Town as a hub for world-class healthcare dialogue and African-led solutions.
“We are delighted to welcome WHX Cape Town and WHX Labs back to the Western Cape this year. Hosting Africa’s premier healthcare and laboratory innovation event for the second year running highlights the province’s growing role as a centre of excellence for healthcare innovation and collaboration. Together, we are shaping the future of healthcare,” said Mireille Wenger, Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness.
A milestone signing of two memoranda of understanding (MOUs) were the landmark start to the event at WHX Cape Town. The public MOU between Youngmin Kim, Chairman for the Korea Medical Device Industry Association (KMDIA) and Loshnee Vandayar, Chairperson for the Southern Africa Laboratory Diagnostics Association (SALDA), marked the first South Africa-Korea industry association agreement for KMDIA and strengthened ties in medical device and MedTech innovation.
A private MOU between Jun Ryu, Global Sales General Manager at Rapigen Inc from South Korea and Avinal Dayanarain, Financial Director at Duromed Group from South Africa followed reinforcing the role of WHX events as a catalyst for meaningful partnerships. This collaborate was seeded at Africa Health 2024 and came to final fruition at this event today.
The 2025 programme includes a total of 13 CPD-accredited conferences, with ten under the main congress and three through WHX Labs Cape Town. Each is curated to deliver practical insights and real impact for delegates. Highlights include the Healthcare Indaba on Global Health, spotlighting African-led solutions changing access to care; Infection Control, linking sustainability and antimicrobial resistance; and Nursing Management, empowering Africa’s nurse leaders with digital and leadership skills. Delegates can also engage with sessions on Mental Health, Medico Legal & Ethics, Emergency Medicine, and Quality Management & Patient Safety, while Hospital Management & Administration offers strategies for operational excellence. Imaging & Diagnostics and Oncology Imaging focus on cutting-edge detection, diagnosis and AI-driven treatment planning. Complementing these, the three-day WHX Labs Cape Town series will explore Africa’s diagnostic backbone through leadership, multi-omics, AI, and innovation.
The Healthcare Indaba on Global Health brought together policy makers and health leaders to spotlight African-led strategies expanding access to care. “The true value lies in listening to real people – not only share the challenges in healthcare, but also the solutions,” said Dr Salome Waswime, Head of the Global Surgery Division, and Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the University of Cape Town and chair of the Healthcare Indaba on Global Health. Parallel tracks examined Infection Control and Prevention and Nursing Leadership and Management, both addressing resilience, antimicrobial resistance and equipping nurse leaders with future-ready skills.
“This is not just about healthcare; it is about the interests of our population and ensuring that everyone can live to their full potential and have a meaningful life. Health is not only an outcome we should all aspire to, it is also a critical ingredient for economic regeneration and aspiration,” said Dr Edward Kunonga, Director of Population Health, NEOM, Saudi Arabia, talking at the plenary on Financing and aid: A double-edged sword.
Speaking to the same plenary session, Tlaleng Mofokeng, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, stated: “As healthcare providers, as public health experts, we cannot continue to just not be political in how we operate, in the decisions that we make everyday. Understanding the context of our patients’ lives – that they may not have a choice, we may know the ways in which vulnerability impacts them. So we’ll have to use our social, political but also our trust power that we have as a collective.”
A key highlight was the Imaging & Diagnostics conference chaired by Dr. Paul Rischbieter, CME Chair of the Radiological Society of South Africa. The track explored how cutting-edge radiology and AI-enabled tools are transforming detection, diagnosis and treatment planning across the continent.
Industry support was visible throughout the day with sponsored sessions from Siemens Healthineers, Tosoh Bioscience, Standard Bank, Radiometer, Beckman Coulter, Solventum, DNK Technology, ASUS Business and DNAlysis Biotechnology anchoring practical insights with technology and financing solutions. These sessions reflected the event’s role in bridging industry and clinical practice.
Day one was reinforced by the support of leading organisations across the healthcare ecosystem. These included the Infection Control Society of South Africa (ICSSA), the Academy of Nursing of South Africa (ANSA), the Emergency Medicine Society of South Africa (EMSSA), the Council of Health Accreditation of South Africa (COHSASA), the African Society of Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), the National Institute for Occupational Health (NHLS), and the Southern African Laboratory Diagnostics Association (SALDA).
Another key highlight of the day was the official handover of a cheque for R150,000 by Rubina Dsouza, Conference Director at Informa Markets – organisers of WHX Cape Town – to Chantel Cooper, CEO of The Children’s Hospital Trust, in support of vital healthcare initiatives for young patients.
With more than 8,000 attendees, 600+ exhibitors, and speakers from over 60 countries, WHX Cape Town and WHX Labs Cape Town will showcase the most urgent and promising innovations transforming African healthcare. As the events continue, days two and three will focus on mental health, quality and patient safety and oncology imaging. Key speakers include government representative Moremi Nkosi, Health Economist at the National Department of Health, and Dr. Kgosi Letlape, President of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa – further cementing Cape Town, and South Africa, as the meeting ground for Africa’s health innovation community.
To learn more or register, visit: WHX Cape Town
