President John Dramani Mahama and fellow African heads of state, meeting on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 23, 2025, have pledged to take decisive steps toward health independence in the wake of drastic funding cuts from international partners.

The leaders noted that the United States of America (USA) alone has slashed an estimated £8 billion in health funding to Africa, with European nations implementing similar reductions.

While acknowledging the challenges, they emphasised that the crisis presents a chance for Africa to break the cycle of dependency by prioritising domestic investment, transparency, and taking ownership of its health agenda.

“The United States, alone, has reportedly cut its health funding to Africa by an estimated £8 billion, along with similar cuts from European nations,” they said.

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A key outcome of the meeting was an agreement to pool resources for the establishment of regional drug manufacturing hubs, with the ambitious goal of meeting at least 60% of Africa’s pharmaceutical demand by 2040.

Inspired by India’s pharmaceutical sector home to more than 10,000 manufacturers the leaders expressed confidence that a united African approach could lower drug prices and create large-scale employment opportunities.

President Mahama, whose “Accra Reset” framework laid the foundation for the renewed discussions, stressed Ghana’s proactive initiatives.

He cited the uncapping of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), expanded access to healthcare, and the upcoming “Big Push” initiative, which is set to boost investment in Ghana’s health sector from 2026.

He further urged African states to scale up commitments and engage investors and donors through sustained advocacy.

To drive the pharmaceutical agenda, leaders resolved to harmonise regulatory frameworks and strengthen partnerships with institutions such as GAVI and the World Bank, which pledged to support supply chain management and health infrastructure development.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) also presented a resilience strategy, focusing on training programmes, operational centres, and advanced surveillance tools.

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These digital systems, extending to rural areas, are designed for real-time detection and swift response to health threats such as Ebola, Cholera, Dengue Fever, Mpox, and other communicable diseases.

The meeting closed with a unified vision aimed at positioning Africa to be less dependent on foreign aid and better equipped to safeguard the health of its people.

MRA/VPO

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