Ghana, AU and Kikwete Foundation push for health financing reforms ahead of AU Summit
African policymakers and health experts met in Accra to discuss urgent reforms in health financing to reduce the continent's reliance on external aid. The dialogue emphasized the need for accountability, local pharmaceutical production, and sustainable domestic funding models.
Why it matters
Achieving universal health coverage in Africa requires a fundamental shift toward sustainable, locally-managed financial systems to ensure long-term resilience against global economic shocks.
Stakeholders at a high-level policy dialogue in Accra have called for urgent reforms in health financing and governance to enable Africa achieve universal health coverage and reduce its dependence on external funding.
The event, organised by the African Renaissance Trust and partners on the eve of the African Union Extraordinary Summit on Health, brought together policymakers, development partners and health experts to discuss sustainable pathways for strengthening health systems across the continent.
Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang in a statement delivered on her behalf, said African nations faced a pivotal moment as traditional sources of development assistance became increasingly uncertain.
She urged governments to invest more in health systems, describing health as the foundation upon which economic productivity, education outcomes and national resilience depend.
"When populations are healthy, they are more productive, their children learn more effectively and economies are better able to grow and withstand shocks," she said.
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