President John Mahama called on African governments to reframe healthcare not as a financial burden, but as a strategic investment critical to the continent’s sovereignty and economic resilience.
Speaking at a high-level summit hosted by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Monday, Mahama warned that Africa’s future hinges on its ability to build robust health systems.
“Health is not a cost. It is the engine of productivity and the foundation of sovereignty,” Mahama said, addressing an audience of heads of state, ministers, and health policy leaders gathered under the theme, “Securing Africa’s Health Sovereignty: Political Leadership for Sustainable Health Financing, Local Manufacturing, and Pandemic Preparedness.”
The event—held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly—focused on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for Africa to establish resilient, self-sustaining health infrastructure.
Mr. Mahama’s remarks align with a growing movement among African leaders to reduce dependency on foreign aid and external supply chains for medical goods, especially vaccines and diagnostics. Calls for increased investment in local manufacturing, sustainable financing models, and pandemic preparedness have grown more urgent in the wake of global inequities exposed by the pandemic response.
On Tuesday, President Mahama is scheduled to host a side event titled “The Accra Reset: Reimagining Global Governance for Health and Development,” where international partners and policymakers will explore new frameworks for equitable global health cooperation. The event is set for 8:00 p.m. GMT.
Mahama’s push for health sovereignty comes amid broader efforts to redefine Africa’s place in global development architecture and ensure the continent is not sidelined in the event of future health crises.
