TAF Wellness leadership will be responsible for unit-level objectives, activities and impact which are integrated and aligned with those of The African Federation at a global level. The tentative TAF Wellness Focus unit Leadership structure is to be comprised of:

CEO
Deputy CEO
General Counsel (legal)
Head of Support Units
Head of Communications
Head of Engagement
Head Partnerships & Advocacy
Head Research & Policy Development 
1. Wellness
- Public Health & Health Education, 
- Mental Health & Wellbeing
- Healthcare policy
- Applicability of Ubuntu in health & wellness
2. Public Education
- Public Education policy (Continental Education - with Focus on Ubuntu as a pillar)
3. Gender, Sex & Wellness
- Health priorities as pertains sex and gender 
4. Social Wellness

Healing Brain Drain
The migration of skilled health workers from Africa to wealthier countries has been a noticeable trend, impacting the continent's healthcare system. This departure is often driven by the allure of higher wages and improved working conditions elsewhere. Unfortunately, this has left Africa facing a significant shortage of qualified healthcare professionals, contributing to elevated mortality rates.

Despite the pressing need for skilled health workers within Africa, some governments continue to implement programs that facilitate the export of these professionals. In the global competition for medical talent, Africa consistently experiences a net loss, with more healthcare personnel opting to work abroad.

The World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended physician-to-population ratio remains unmet by many African countries. Notably, according to 2015 WHO data, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Uganda report ratios of 0.3, 0.2, and 0.12 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants, respectively.

Addressing this challenge, The African Foundation (TAF) aims to develop practical recommendations and strategies to mitigate the medical brain drain. TAF will also advocate for African governments to align with internationally recommended targets, such as the commitment made in April 2001 by heads of state of African Union countries. This commitment involves allocating a minimum of 15% of annual budgets to strengthen the healthcare sector, a crucial step in preserving the health and well-being of Africa's population.

Prevention & Education
The improvement of health in Africa requires greater focus on the importance of prevention, education and awareness of the mode of transmission or exposure to both infectious and chronic diseases. Improved health will require retooling of health personnel and the expansion of immunisation; monitoring; screening and accurate diagnosis of disease. Massive education starting from elementary school to adulthood is needed to make African people aware of the root causes of disease. An integrated approach to health is required emphasising sharing of information and health strategies in education; transportation; infrastructure;  law enforcement;  water and sanitation; food security and housing. This would reduce reliance on expensive medical equipment that only serves families that can afford it.

In Africa, people and people and animals tend to live in close proximity. Children play around garbage, in places with contaminated water (where rodents and insects breed) and in dusty streets. Water is also often a scarce commodity. These conditions on the continent are aggravated by the low degree of understanding of the health risks and the need to know the modes of disease transmission and prevention.

Education can improve sanitation coverage in Africa, where in some regions, people still practise open defecation. Poor populations in areas lacking indoor toilet facilities, waste disposal or sewage systems, use their own means to dispose of domestic and human waste, such as defecating in plastic bags. Industrial and human waste is disposed of in rivers, open fields, on streets and in open spaces, at bus stations or even near homes. Public toilets in some cities are few and the municipalities either do not have the regulations on hygiene and sanitation or don’t enforce them, when they exist.

TAF will promote preventative, cost effective medical interventions such as teaching midwives to wash hands before delivery of a baby, which can reduce neonatal deaths by 44%; teaching children to wash their hands with soap before eating, and after using the toilet, which can prevent diarrheal diseases by 47%.

TAF will also advocate for a reduction in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as type 2 Diabetes, along with cardiovascular diseases, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases which are often linked to lifestyle and environmental factors. The key risk factors for these diseases are unhealthy diets, tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol and physical inactivity.  By 2030, NCDs will become the leading cause of death in Africa, and are projected to exceed communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional diseases as the most common causes of death. In North Africa, NCDs are already responsible for more than three-quarters of all deaths. In Algeria, Egypt, Libya and Morocco, for example, more than 75% of all deaths in 2012 were due to NCDs.

It is during adolescence or adulthood that these behaviours are typically established. And they are preventable and millions of lives could be saved through education and prevention by healthy diets, exercise and the avoidance of tobacco and alcohol.

Substance Abuse & Mental Health
Substance abuse refers to the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs. One of the key impacts of illicit drug use on society is the negative health consequences experienced by its members. Drug use also puts a heavy financial burden on individuals, families and society. Substance abuse has increased significantly on the African continent. Hospital-based studies show a growing incidence of cocaine and heroin-related mental health problems. 

Health Sovereignty
Africa has weak health infrastructure and health systems. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated our continent’s lack of medical preparedness. While the government’s IDP policy and efforts to domesticate the Kampala Convention by codifying it into local law are positive steps, the Borno State government’s efforts to shut down the camps have fallen far short of the policy’s standards as well as the convention’s requirements. The federal government is doing far too little to protect displaced persons. By pushing people out of camps and restricting access to aid without putting in place viable alternatives for support, the state government is worsening suffering, entrenching poverty, and deepening vulnerability for thousands of displaced families. If the same process is employed to shut down the numerous displacement camps in other areas of the state beyond Maiduguri, hundreds of thousands more will be at risk of suffering the same fate absent new effective support measures.

The Nigerian federal government should urgently engage with the Borno State government to halt further camp closures, and both governments should work together with the UN, donor governments, and humanitarian agencies to ensure that plans to return or resettle displaced persons do not violate their rights. They should also remove restrictions on aid and ensure that humanitarian organizations can provide lifesaving assistance in displacement camps and all areas where needs are identified.

Our 5 core focus areas will be Governance, Economy, Environment, Wellness, and Narrative - and we will develop thought leadership positions in each. As part of this, the focus area units will: promote dialogue, develop information & intelligence, and publish policy options; plan & advocate for change & implementable solutions on a prioritized basis; and publish measures of impact. These units will be coordinated but otherwise autonomous and their leadership will be responsible for unit-level objectives, activities & impact which are integrated & aligned with those of TAF at a global level. The units’ broad scopes of pan-African advocacy will be:

TAF Governance
Transparent for unity
Our systems of control & accountability within & between government, the economy & civil society, including the law; with an emphasis on convergence & sovereignty, for effective leadership & peace

TAF Economy
Vibrant for prosperity
Our systems of production & consumption and the supply of money; with an emphasis on integration & innovation, for efficient public & private markets for goods & services

TAF Environment
Flourishing for prosperity
Our abundant natural world as affected by human activity; with an emphasis on protection & equitable exploitation of indigenous natural resources, for productive sustainability

TAF Wellness
Thriving for prosperity
Our systems of healthcare & education; with an emphasis on proactive multi-dimensional approaches & the provision of basic services, for informed choices & flourishing lifestyles

TAF Narrative
Authentic for unity
Our history, culture & potential; with an emphasis on Africans amplifying our story & purposeful communication, for a stronger pan-African mentality and therefore clearer identity & objectives