President John Dramani Mahama is hosting an Extraordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Accra, bringing together African leaders and key stakeholders to chart a path towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) across the continent.
The two-day summit, taking place from July 21 to 22, 2026, is being held under the theme: “Advancing Justice, Equity and Universal Health Coverage: Ending AIDS, TB, Improving Maternal Health, Addressing Endemic Non-Communicable and Neglected Tropical Diseases and Conditions in Africa.”
The high-level gathering has attracted African Heads of State and Government, Ministers of Health, Finance and Foreign Affairs, representatives of the African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities, development partners, civil society organisations, youth groups and private sector stakeholders.
According to a government statement issued on Tuesday, July 21, the summit aims to strengthen collaboration among AU member states and develop practical strategies to accelerate progress towards universal access to quality healthcare across Africa.
The first day of the summit features a technical meeting involving experts from Ministries of Health, Finance and Economic Planning. Their deliberations are expected to lay the groundwork for key policy decisions to be considered by African leaders during the Heads of State session on Wednesday, July 22.
During the Assembly session, leaders are expected to deliberate on and adopt measures to advance Africa’s health priorities, including the implementation of the African Union Roadmap to 2030, which seeks to expand access to quality healthcare and improve health outcomes across the continent.
Government said Ghana’s hosting of the continental health summit reflects the country’s commitment to promoting equitable healthcare delivery and providing leadership in Africa’s health transformation agenda.
The statement highlighted several health sector interventions introduced under President Mahama’s administration, including the rollout of the Free Primary Health Care Programme, the uncapping of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and the establishment of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as MahamaCares.
According to the government, these initiatives form part of broader efforts to improve healthcare financing, expand access to quality health services and accelerate progress towards Universal Health Coverage.
The statement further noted that President Mahama has prioritised investments in health infrastructure, workforce development, emergency preparedness and local pharmaceutical manufacturing, all of which align with the objectives of the AU summit.
As part of the programme, the summit will also host a special side event on maternal, newborn, child and adolescent survival. The event will be led by Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the African Union Champion for Maternal and Child Health, in collaboration with the Accra Reset initiative.
Government has assured participating countries and stakeholders of Ghana’s readiness to host the summit and reaffirmed its commitment to working with AU member states to develop sustainable solutions aimed at reducing disease burdens, improving healthcare access and achieving Universal Health Coverage across Africa by 2030.
