The 13th World Congress on Public Health on the theme: “Towards Global Health Equity: Opportunities and Threats,” is scheduled for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from April 23- April 27.

Dr Luis Sambo, World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, would deliver the keynote address at the Congress which would offer unique opportunities to discuss global, continental and national public health issues among the global public health community and other key stakeholders.

A statement issued by the WHO and copied to Ghana News Agency in Accra on Thursday, said Ethiopia was the second African country to host the Congress, after one organised in Arusha, Tanzania in 1997.

The congress is expected to deliberate on important and defining public health issues through evidence based and transparent interactions among the global public health community, researchers, academicians, scientists, and public health officials.

It would be co-organised by the Ministry of Health - Ethiopia, Ethiopian Public Health Association and World Federation of Public Health Associations.

In attendance would be the Ethiopian Minister of Health, Dr Tedros Adhanom; President of World Federation of Public Health Associations, Professor Ulrich Laaser; President of Ethiopian Public Health Association, Dr Tewabech Bishaw; Heads of UN Agencies, representatives of stakeholders, public health associations and other agencies.

More than 3,000 participants from different disciplines are expected to participate.

The general objectives of the congress are to contribute towards protecting and promoting public health at global, continental, national levels; and to create a better understanding of Africa’s public health challenges within global public health.

In all, five plenaries and more than 100 pre-organised and free sessions on a multiplicity of public health issues would be held over a five-day period, while it would provide participants an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences and learn from one another.**