Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, has urged fellow African leaders to prioritise health and see it as a means to development and sovereignty, rather than terming it as an expenditure.
The President, who joined fellow African leaders on Monday, September 22, 2025, at a high-level meeting of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in New York ahead of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) stressed the need not to downplay the relevance of health in developing a nation.
Speaking on the theme; “Securing Africa’s Health Sovereignty: Political Leadership for Sustainable Health Financing, Local Manufacturing, and Pandemic Preparedness”, President Mahama cited the COVID-19 pandemic as a lesson for African leaders not to undermine healthcare for their people.
“Health is not a cost. It is the engine of productivity and the foundation of sovereignty,” he stated.
President Mahama’s message comes as Africa seeks to scale up local vaccine manufacturing, secure sustainable financing, and strengthen preparedness for future global health emergencies.
He will be speaking further on the issue today, Tuesday, September 23, at a side event on the topic; “The Accra Reset: Reimagining Global Governance for Health and Development.”
The session is expected to bring together global partners and policymakers to explore new frameworks for health governance and development cooperation.
Mahama’s interventions reflect growing calls for Africa to take greater ownership of its health security, ensuring the continent is not left behind at the strike of a pandemic like that of the COVID-19.
Prez Mahama to launch ‘The Accra Reset’ at 2025 UN General Assembly
