Keypoints:
- Global aid for health is shrinking fast
- Mahama calls for African-led solutions
- Ghana shows steps toward health sovereignty
GHANA’S President John Mahama has urged African leaders to take charge of the continent’s health destiny as international funding for healthcare and humanitarian assistance dwindles. Speaking at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) meeting in New York on September 23, Mahama said external aid cuts from major donors threaten to reverse hard-won health gains across the continent.
Global cuts to aid budgets
Mahama highlighted that the US Congress slashed $8bn from its international assistance budget in July and terminated USAID contracts worth $54bn. He added that NATO allies and European nations are also diverting funds to defence to meet a 5 percent of GDP target, resulting in reductions to overseas development assistance.
‘The truth is stark. External funding for healthcare and humanitarian assistance is declining rapidly,’ Mahama told fellow heads of state and government. ‘If we do not take our health destiny into our own hands, our citizens will be left without medicines, without vaccines, and without hope.’
Call for African health sovereignty
Mahama urged African governments to redirect resources to healthcare, cut wasteful spending, and invest in producing medicines and vaccines locally. He stressed that leaders must shape new strategies and partnerships to avoid dependency on unreliable foreign aid.
‘We must be co-conveners, co-designers and co-owners of global health solutions,’ he said, calling for a united front when engaging institutions such as Gavi, the Global Fund and the Pandemic Fund. ‘As this world steps back, let Africa step forward. Let us invest in our people’s health by investing in our health systems.’
Ghana’s initiatives as a model
The Ghanaian leader cited several national measures to illustrate what he called ‘health sovereignty in action’. These include the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, which provides sustainable financing for non-communicable disease treatment, and the establishment of a National Vaccine Institute with seed funding of 75 million Ghana cedis ($6.25 million) to position Ghana as a regional vaccine manufacturing hub.
Mahama also announced plans to roll out a free primary healthcare programme and the restoration of 33.5 bn cedis—about 300 million—of health funding previously absorbed into the consolidated fund.
Continental response needed
The president emphasised that Africa must not merely be invited to global health discussions but should help design and own solutions. He pointed to the recent African Health Sovereignty Summit in Accra, where the Accra Compact and the Accra Reset Agenda were launched to push for reform in global health governance.
‘The responsibility of leadership in protecting the health and lives of our citizens rests directly on our shoulders,’ Mahama said. ‘These are practical steps that demonstrate that where there is political will, sovereignty is achievable.’
