Ahead of the opening of the 80th United Nation’s General Assembly (UNGA) General Debates, President John Dramani Mahama has called on African leaders to take urgent steps to secure the continent’s health sovereignty, stressing that health must be seen as the foundation of national survival and productivity.
Speaking at a high-level meeting of African Heads of State and Government convened by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Monday, Mahama warned that declining international assistance poses a serious threat to Africa’s healthcare systems.
“Health is not a cost. It is the engine of productivity and the foundation of sovereignty,” he said.
Mahama highlighted that external funding for healthcare and humanitarian assistance is rapidly dwindling, citing recent U.S. Congressional cuts of $8 billion from international assistance budgets and the termination of $54 billion worth of USAID contracts. He noted that similar trends are being witnessed among NATO allies as they redirect resources toward defense spending.
“If we do not take our health destiny into our own hands by shaping new strategies and partnerships, our citizens would be left without medicines, without vaccines, and without hope,” he cautioned.
Ghana’s Efforts Toward Health Sovereignty
Outlining Ghana’s recent initiatives, Mahama pointed to the passage of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Act, popularly known as MahamaCare, which provides sustainable financing for non-communicable disease treatment. He also highlighted the establishment of the National Vaccine Institute, backed with GHS 75 million, to position Ghana as a hub for vaccine research and manufacturing in the region.
He further announced plans for a Free Primary Health Care programme aimed at ensuring universal access to essential care without cost or delay.
“We uncapped the National Health Insurance Fund to restore GHS 3.5 billion (about $300 million) of health funding which was previously swept into the consolidated fund for consumption,” he explained, describing the move as proof of strong political will.
The Accra Reset
Mahama also reiterated the significance of the recently launched Accra Reset during the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit in Accra. The initiative, he explained, seeks to reform the global governance architecture with health as the entry point, ensuring that Africa is not merely a participant but a co-designer and co-owner of global health solutions.
“Africa must not only be invited to global health discussions. Africa must be a co-convener, a co-designer, and a co-owner of solutions,” Mahama emphasized.
Side Event at UNGA80
As part of his engagements at UNGA80, President Mahama will on Tuesday at 8:00 pm Ghana time host a side event on The Accra Reset: Reimagining Global Governance for Health and Development.
Calling for unity, Mahama urged his fellow African leaders to speak with one voice at global health platforms such as GAVI, the Global Fund, and the Pandemic Fund.
“Colleagues, let us move from words to action. As the world steps back, let Africa step forward. Let us invest in our people’s health by investing in our health systems,” he urged.
