President Mahama champions securing Africa’s health sovereignty at UNGA

President John Dramani Mahama has addressed a meeting of Heads of State and Government of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on the margins of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly. 

The meeting, which came off on Monday, ahead of the official opening of the 80th UN General Assembly, slated for Tuesday, was on the theme “Securing Africa’s Health Sovereignty: Political Leadership for Sustainable Health Financing, Local Manufacturing, and Pandemic Preparedness”. 

A statement issued by Ghana’s Presidency said President Mahama who would on Tuesday host a side event on the Accra Reset: Reimaging Global Governance for Health and Development, told the meeting that “Health is not a cost. It is the engine of productivity and the foundation of sovereignty”. 

President Mahama noted that African leaders were called to address the challenges of today; declaring that “The truth is stark: external funding for healthcare and humanitarian assistance is declining rapidly”. 

He said the United States Congress in July cut $8 billion from the budget for US international assistance; and that USAID contracts worth $54 billion had been terminated.  

“This is not peculiar to the US alone. The NATO allies, to meet the target of five per cent of GDP for defence spending, are all making cuts to ODA,” he said. 

“If we do not take our health destiny into our own hands by shaping new strategies and partnerships, our citizens would be left without medicines, without vaccines, and without hope.” 

Adding that there would be a reversal in Africa’s health care outcomes. 

“That is why sovereignty in health is not optional. It is survival,” he stated. 

The President said the meeting of the Committee of Heads of State and Government of the Africa CDC was vital because, as Heads of State, the responsibility of leadership in protecting the health and lives of their citizens rests directly on our shoulders. 

“We must step up to the plate and redirect resources to where they matter most. We must cut wasteful expenditure and channel funds to improving health facilities, training more health professionals, producing our medicines and our own vaccines,” the President said. 

Sharing Ghana’s Experience, President Mahama said in Ghana, they were not just talking about sovereignty, they were working to make it real. 

“We have passed the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Act (MahamaCare), a bold new programme that provides sustainable financing for people battling non-communicable diseases,” he said. 

He said the Government had set up a National Vaccine Institute, backed with GHS 75 million, to make Ghana a hub for vaccine research and manufacturing for the region. 

The President said very soon, the Government would roll out a Free Primary Health Care programme, so that essential care was available to everyone without cost, without barriers, without delay. 

He said they uncapped the National Health Insurance Fund to restore GHS 3.5 billion (about $300 million) of health funding, which was previously swept into the consolidated fund for consumption. 

He said these were practical steps, demonstrating that when political will was strong, sovereignty was achievable. 

President Mahama said just last month, at the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit in Accra, African leaders launched the Accra Reset.  

The President said the Reset aims to transform the global governance architecture amidst the current global uncertainty; adding that the starting point for this transformation is the health sector.  

He reiterated that Africa must not only be invited to global health discussions; saying Africa must be a co-convener, a co-designer, and a co-owner of solutions. 

He noted that the meeting of the Committee of Heads of State and Government of the Africa CDC was the place to carry this vision forward.  

“And so, when we go to GAVI, the Global Fund, or the Pandemic Fund, we must go as one Africa – united, determined, and demanding fairness and equity,” the President said. 

“Let us move from words to action. As the world steps back, let Africa step forward. Let us invest in our people’s health by investing in our health systems. 

“Health is not a cost. It is the engine of productivity and the foundation of sovereignty. The time is now.” 

Source: GNA  

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