President John Dramani Mahama has proposed a sweeping reform agenda aimed at transforming global health governance and strengthening Africa’s capacity to manage its own healthcare systems.
Speaking at the 79th World Health Assembly on Monday, May 18, President Mahama said countries in the Global South must be empowered to finance healthcare locally, produce essential medicines, and control health data to build more resilient systems.
He argued that the current global health structure places excessive administrative demands on developing nations, noting that many health ministers spend more time preparing donor reports than improving primary healthcare delivery.
President Mahama also criticised the expansion of global health institutions, saying the increase in organisations has not always translated into better outcomes for vulnerable populations.
To address these challenges, he announced the “Accra Reset” initiative, backed by a Presidential Council of Global South leaders, to drive reforms in global health governance and financing.
The framework is built on three pillars:
A High-Level Panel on Reform, composed of independent experts to assess and review the global health architecture.
A Reform Interlocking Observatory, designed to coordinate major institutions such as the WHO, GAVI, and the Global Fund to prevent policy conflicts at national level.
A Health Investment National Gateway (HINGE), aimed at turning policy commitments into real investments in pharmaceutical production, bioinnovation, and health system strengthening.
According to President Mahama, the initiative seeks to reposition African countries to take greater control of their health systems and reduce long-standing dependence on external support.
