President John Mahama emphasized the critical role of health in Africa’s development during a high-level meeting of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Monday, ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) General Debates.
The session, themed “Securing Africa’s Health Sovereignty: Political Leadership for Sustainable Health Financing, Local Manufacturing, and Pandemic Preparedness,” focused on strengthening the continent’s health systems post-COVID-19.
Addressing African heads of state and global partners, Mahama declared, “Health is not a cost. It is the engine of productivity and the foundation of sovereignty,” urging increased investment in health financing, local vaccine production, and pandemic preparedness to reduce reliance on external aid during crises. He highlighted the need for self-reliance to safeguard Africa against future health emergencies.
On Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. GMT, Mahama will host a side event, “The Accra Reset: Reimagining Global Governance for Health and Development,” to further discuss innovative frameworks for health governance and development cooperation with global policymakers. The initiative aligns with Africa’s push for sustainable health systems, including local manufacturing to address vaccine inequity exposed during the pandemic.
Mahama’s advocacy comes amid Ghana’s ongoing efforts to bolster its health infrastructure, with recent calls for unified clean air policies and stronger regional health collaboration. His UNGA engagements underscore Ghana’s leadership in driving continental health resilience.
