By: Journalist Archie Ayouba Boan
The Director-General of the Civil Service Agency, Dr. Josiah F. Joekai Jr., is set to chair the 3rd High-Level Continental Meeting on Strengthening Public Service and Health Workforce Development in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from June 1–2, 2026, in his capacity as Chairman of the Health and Public
Service Network of Africa (HaPSNA).
The upcoming continental gathering marks the third major high-level engagement under Dr. Joekai’s leadership following the inaugural summit held in Monrovia in March 2025 and the second
consultative meeting hosted in Kigali in June 2025.
The previous meetings brought together Ministers of Health, Heads of Civil Service, and senior technical experts from across West and Central Africa to deliberate on strengthening human health workforce systems and integrating certified Community Health Workers into national civil service structures.
HaPSNA serves as a continental collaborative platform focused on strengthening governance systems, improving public service delivery, and advancing the development of a competent and motivated health workforce throughout Africa.
The network is supported by the Health Development Partnership for Africa and the Caribbean (HeDPAC), an organization that works with governments across Africa and the Caribbean to promote universal health coverage through South-South cooperation, institutional strengthening, and workforce development initiatives.
At earlier engagements, participating countries developed a policy and assessment tool known as the Community Health Program Maturity Framework.
The framework is intended to help governments assess and prioritize reforms in governance, financing, workforce management, service delivery, and health information systems.
The framework is expected to feature prominently during discussions in Abidjan, where representatives from more than 15 African countries are anticipated to present country progress reports and share experiences related to integrating health workers into national civil service systems.
According to a dispatch, the meeting will convene policymakers and technical experts from across Africa’s health and public service sectors to address critical challenges affecting governance and workforce development.
Discussions are expected to focus on public-sector inefficiencies, institutional fragmentation, financing constraints affecting workforce sustainability, and disparities in institutional capacity among countries and regions.
Ahead of the conference, Dr. Joekai called on participating nations to renew their collective commitment to strengthening governance systems, improving public service delivery, and building resilient health workforce structures capable of meeting the growing needs of citizens across the continent.
“As Chairman of HaPSNA and Director-General of the Civil Service Agency of Liberia, I reaffirm our unwavering commitment to fostering strategic partnerships, professional excellence, and transformative reforms across Africa’s public service and health sectors,” Dr. Joekai stated.
The 2026 High-Level Meeting in Abidjan will be held under the theme: “Advancing Country-Led Pathways for Strengthening Community Health Programs through Civil Service Systems.”
Dr. Joekai is currently serving the second year of his two-year tenure as Chairman of HaPSNA.
