Youth Push for Greater Role in Health Policy Across Africa and Australia

Nigeria's Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, called for stronger youth participation in health governance at a forum in Abuja, urging governments, WHO and civil society to involve young people in shaping the WHO Africa Regional Strategic Plan 2026‑2030 and Vision 2035. He highlighted challenges such as communicable and non‑communicable diseases, mental health, substance abuse and reproductive health, and advocated for youth‑centred, inclusive health systems and greater investment in innovation.

In South Australia, a qualitative survey of 18‑24‑year‑olds conducted by University of Adelaide researchers Patience Castleton, Zahra Ali Padhani and senior author Zohra Lassi found mental health and vaping to be top concerns. Participants expressed a desire to co‑design health interventions, noting barriers such as limited awareness, peer pressure, financial strain and structural impediments. The study calls for education, free support services and policy‑level changes that integrate youth lived experience into health program design.