Mahama discusses Ghana’s vital interventions in health sector with Bill Gates

On Wednesday, June 25, President John Dramani Mahama met American businessman, Mr. Bill Gates, in Brussels, ahead of the Gavi Vaccine Alliance pledging session.

Mr Mahama said that their discussion focused on Ghana’s vital interventions in the health sector.

“We covered key topics, including the significant progress on the Free Primary Healthcare programme, the ongoing work of the National Vaccine Institute, and the impact of uncapping the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIS) to improve healthcare access and financing,” he wrote on Facebook.

President Mahama also thanked Mr. Gates and the Gates Foundation for their extensive philanthropic work in Ghana and their crucial contribution to the Gavi Vaccine Alliance.

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“I also met with the Gavi Board Chair, José Manuel Barroso, who expressed gratitude for my consistent support for Gavi’s vital vaccine replenishment efforts. Supporting an organisation that is doing such crucial work for global health is always a pleasure,” he said.

He further stated that these meetings underscore the importance of international collaboration and sustained investment in health systems to build a healthier future for all.

“Looking forward to the pledging session and advocating for continued support for Gavi’s life-saving work,” he wrote.

In putting the Gavi replenishment in context, President Mahama said that Gavi seeks to spend $9 billion over the next five years, from 2026 to 2030, to immunise 500 million children worldwide.

These children’s lives will be saved so they can grow up to become tomorrow’s scientists, engineers, nurses, teachers, and doctors. This morning, I took time to reflect, researched and discovered that one B-2 Spirit bomber that dropped bombs on Iran recently cost $2.13 billion.

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If you work the math, Gavi seeks the value of four of those B-2 bombers. Surely, the world can invest the equivalent cost of four B-2 bombers to save 500 million children. It’s a choice we have to make.

It’s a choice we have to make between taking lives and saving lives, and I am sure we will save lives instead of taking them.

The post Mahama discusses Ghana’s vital interventions in health sector with Bill Gates first appeared on 3News.

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