This session on “Medical and Health Law” will examine the strong economic interests driving the International Health Regulations, the Pandemic Agreement, and the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing frameworks. Beneath global goals for “pandemic preparedness” lie commercial interests linked to patents, pathogen materials, and genomic resources, much of which originate from Africa. Discussions will address how these arrangements often position Africa as a source of biological wealth while major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies profit immensely.
The session will also spotlight the neglect of indigenous medicine systems and the emerging global market for “vaccine-free” African blood, which raises serious ethical and legal concerns about health sovereignty. Participants will assess whether these international health instruments amount to partnership or exploitation and propose legal, policy, and bioethical measures to safeguard African interests. The session will be chaired by Samuel Tabi Tanyi-Mbianyor Esq, with panellists Advocate Sabelo Sibanda, Uju Peace Okeke, Kezia P. M. Kenneth Azumah Esq (Mrs.), Dr. Seyoum Antonios, and Mr. Wilmer Hak.
Samuel Tabi Tanyi-Mbianyor Esq.
Samuel Tabi Tanyi-Mbianyor is an expert in human rights law, specialising in child protection. Called to bar in 2003, he founded Lex Lata Law Chambers in Buea Cameroon and has worked as a Human Rights Advisor at the Ontario Human Rights Legal Support Center in Toronto Canada & Manager of Human Rights at Laurentian University in Sudbury Canada. A member of the Cameroon Bar Association, he is also a member of the Ontario Bar Association (Student Division). Samuel holds a master’s degree in public administration from Walden University (USA) and an LLM in Canadian Common Law from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University in Toronto Canada. He is also a published poet and author.
Advocate Sabelo Sibanda
Advocate Sabelo Sibanda is a Pan-Afrikaanist legal strategist, human rights advocate, and founder of the International Alliance of Lawctivists. He coined the term Lawctivism to describe the use of law as a tool to advance activist causes for justice, liberation, and people’s empowerment—contrasting sharply with legal systems that often enable oppression. Rooted in Ubuntu, his work blends Afrikaan customary law, traditional knowledge, and people-centred jurisprudence with legal reform. He collaborates widely with communities, civil society, and traditional leaders to promote sovereignty, legal literacy, and self-determination. In 2004, he was honoured as one of JCI’s Ten Outstanding Young Persons for cultural achievement. His current focus includes challenging global health governance that undermines Afrikan agency and advancing ancestral, Pan-Afrikan legal frameworks.
Uju Peace Okeke
Uju Peace Okeke is a Lawyer, Human Rights Activist, Gender Researcher, Reproductive and sexual health expert, Notary Public and Professional Negotiator and Mediator. She lectures at the Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus. She obtained Bachelor of Laws Degree from Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Osun state, Nigeria and master’s degree in human Rights (specializing in Reproductive and Sexual Health Rights) from the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein South Africa. She is completing her PhD in Health Law and Policy at UNEC. With infectious passion, she demonstrates uncommon courage, treading uncommon paths and lends her voice to issues through research, writing, litigation and advocacy. Her areas of expertise include Human rights, Women’s rights and Health law and policy.
Kezia P. M. Kenneth Azumah Esq (Mrs.)
Kezia P. M. Kenneth Azumah Esq (Mrs.) is a seasoned legal practitioner and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) expert with over a decade of experience in Litigation, mediation, arbitration, and legal consultancy. Her core competencies include negotiation, mediation, arbitration, civil and criminal litigation, family law, medical law & Ethics, Climate Justice and customary law. She is a Lead Consultant at Citadel Legal Consult, and a facilitator at the Africa Centre for Collaborative Dispute Resolution. Kezia is a dedicated advocate for women’s rights and has been trained in using the Maputo Protocol for women’s rights advocacy. She is a member of Ghana National Association of ADR Practitioners.
Dr. Seyoum Antonios
Dr. Seyoum Antonios is a general surgeon by profession. In 2007, together with his wife Saba, he established United for Life Ethiopia, which is the first pro-life and pro-family non-governmental organisation in Ethiopia and which has been active not only in Ethiopia but across Africa, standing against detrimental policies that are being pushed into the continent of Africa by western nations, the various UN agencies and other international organisations. In June of 2019, he became Director for Family Watch Africa, a chapter of Family Watch International coordinating its activities in different parts of Africa and at the African Union.
Mr. Wilmer Hak
Mr. Wilmer Hak is the policy and advocacy officer for Christian Council International. His work focuses on the World Health Organization and the United Nations Human Rights Council. He monitored the negotiations of the International Health Regulations, the recently adopted Pandemic Agreement, and the ongoing negotiations of the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) mechanism under the Pandemic Agreement.
