Ghana’s President, HE John Dramani Mahama, has called on African leaders to take bold and decisive steps to secure the continent’s health sovereignty in the face of rapidly declining external health funding.
Speaking at the meeting of the Committee of Heads of State and Government of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), held on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Mahama emphasized that the responsibility of protecting the health of Africans rests firmly on the shoulders of their leaders.
Addressing fellow heads of state, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, ministers, and other participants, President Mahama warned that Africa could face serious reversals in health outcomes if urgent measures are not put in place.
“External funding for health care and humanitarian assistance is declining rapidly. The US Congress in July 2025 cut $8 billion from the budget for US international assistance. Following this, USAID Contracts worth $54 billion have been terminated.
“This is not peculiar to the US alone. NATO allies and Europe, in order to meet the target of 5% of GDP spending for defense, are all making cuts to their overseas development assistance”.
Ghana’s President HE John Dramani Mahama
He cautioned that the impact of such global funding cuts would be devastating if African countries failed to act. According to President Mahama, if Africa does not take its health destiny into its own hands by shaping new strategies and partnerships, African citizens will be left without medicines, without vaccines, and without hope, and there will be a reversal in the health outcomes in Africa.
President Mahama stressed that African leaders must “step up to the plate” by redirecting resources to critical areas of health care rather than indulging in wasteful expenditure. He outlined that the focus should be on strengthening healthcare facilities, training more health professionals, and investing in the local production of medicines and vaccines.
Ghana as a Leading Example
Citing Ghana as an example, President Mahama highlighted ongoing initiatives aimed at translating the idea of health sovereignty into concrete action.
“In Ghana, we’re not just talking about sovereignty. We’re working to make it real. We’ve passed the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Act, which is a bold new program that provides sustainable financing for people battling with non-communicable diseases.
“We’ve set up our National Vaccine Institute, backed with seed money of GHS 75 million, to make Ghana a hub for vaccine research and manufacturing for our sub-region”.
Ghana’s President HE John Dramani Mahama
He further noted that Ghana would soon roll out its free primary health care program, designed to make essential care available to every citizen at no cost. Additionally, he pointed to a recent fiscal decision that reflects Ghana’s commitment to health funding:
“Just this year, we uncapped the National Health Insurance Levy to restore GHS 33.5 billion, that’s about $300 million of health funding, which was previously swept into the Consolidated Fund for consumption.”
Ghana’s President HE John Dramani Mahama
For President Mahama, these measures demonstrate that health sovereignty is not an abstract aspiration but an achievable goal when political will is present.
He drew attention to the African Health Sovereignty Summit held in Accra last month, where the Accra Compact and the Accra Reset Agenda were launched. These initiatives, he explained, are part of a broader effort to transform global governance structures in response to today’s uncertainties, beginning with the health sector.
“Africa must not only be invited to global health discussions, but Africa must be a co-convener, we must be a co-designer, and a co-owner of the solutions and outcomes of these global fora,” President Mahama insisted. He urged African leaders to adopt a united approach when engaging with global health financing bodies such as GAVI, the Global Fund, and the Pandemic Fund.
Closing his address, President Mahama delivered a rallying call to his colleagues to translate their deliberations into meaningful action. “Let us move from words to action. As this world steps back, let Africa step forward. Let us invest in our people’s health by investing in our health systems,” he said.
President Mahama’s remarks come at a time when Africa faces growing pressure to become self-reliant in health financing and delivery. His message echoed a broader sentiment on the continent that the era of dependence on external donors is no longer sustainable.
With shifting priorities in global politics and reduced aid budgets from traditional partners, African nations are being urged to harness their own resources and strengthen regional partnerships to secure their health futures.
The Africa CDC meeting provided a timely platform for African leaders to deliberate on strategies for overcoming the current challenges. With the world reeling from geopolitical tensions, climate emergencies, and competing global priorities, President Mahama’s speech was a reminder that the continent’s health sovereignty is both urgent and essential.
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