Ghana’s President John Mahama has called on African leaders to take full ownership of the continent’s healthcare future, warning that dwindling international funding threatens to roll back critical health gains.
Speaking at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) meeting in New York on September 23, Mahama pointed to deep cuts in foreign aid budgets, including an $8 billion reduction by the US Congress and the termination of USAID contracts worth $54 billion. He noted that European countries and NATO allies were also diverting resources toward defence spending, leaving less for overseas development assistance.
“The truth is stark. External funding for healthcare and humanitarian assistance is declining rapidly,” Mahama told fellow heads of state. “If we do not take our health destiny into our own hands, our citizens will be left without medicines, without vaccines, and without hope.”
The Ghanaian leader urged African governments to redirect resources into health, reduce wasteful spending, and invest in local pharmaceutical and vaccine production. He stressed the need for African states to act as “co-conveners, co-designers and co-owners” of global health solutions rather than depend solely on foreign donors.
Mahama showcased Ghana’s own initiatives as examples of “health sovereignty in action,” including the Ghana Medical Trust Fund for sustainable non-communicable disease treatment, the creation of a National Vaccine Institute with seed funding of 75 million cedis ($6.25m), and a plan to restore 33.5 billion cedis ($300m) of health funding previously absorbed into the consolidated fund. He also announced a free primary healthcare programme to strengthen access nationwide.
He further referenced the African Health Sovereignty Summit held recently in Accra, which produced the Accra Compact and Accra Reset Agenda aimed at reforming global health governance.
“The responsibility of leadership in protecting the health and lives of our citizens rests directly on our shoulders,” Mahama concluded. “These are practical steps that demonstrate that where there is political will, sovereignty is achievable.”
