President John Dramani Mahama has told his colleagues in a meeting of heads of state and government of the Africa CDC on the theme: Securing Africa’s Health Sovereignty: Political Leadership for Sustainable Health Financing, Local Manufacturing, and Pandemic Preparedness, that Ghana is not just talking about health sovereignty, but the country is making it real.
Ghana passed the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Act, which is a bold new program that provides sustainable financing for people battling with non-communicable diseases, he said.
“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 75 million Ghana cities to make Ghana a hub for vaccine research and manufacturing for our sub region. We are soon to roll out our free primary health care program so that essential care is available to everyone, without cost, without barriers and without delay.
“Just this year, we uncapped the National Health Insurance levy to restore 33 point 5 billion CDs. That’s about $300 million of health funding which was previously swept into the consolidated fund for consumption. These are practical steps that demonstrate that where there’s political will, sovereignty is achievable. Just last month, at the African health sovereignty summit in Accra, we launched the Accra compact and the Accra reset agenda. The Accra reset agenda aims to transform the global governance structure amidst the current global uncertainty, and the starting point for this transformation is in the health sector. Africa must not only be invited to global health discussions, Africa must be a co convener, we must be a co designer and a co owner of the solutions and outcomes of this global forum, today’s meeting.”
Below is his full address…
Your Excellency, the chairperson of the African Union, Your Excellencies, colleagues, heads of state and government, Your Excellency. The chairperson of the African Union Commission and commissioners, honorable ministers, distinguished participants, ladies and gentleme
it is a privilege for me to join you this afternoon under a theme that directly addresses Africa’s future, that is securing our health sovereignty, we’re called to address the challenges Africa faces today
The truth is stark. External funding for healthcare and humanitarian assistance is declining rapidly.
The US Congress in July, cuts $8 billion from the budget for us international assistance.
This is not peculiar to the US alone, the 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 if we do not take our health destiny into our own hands by shaping new strategies and partnerships, our citizens will be left without medicines, without vaccines and without hope, and there will be a reversal in the health outcomes in Africa
The meeting of the committee of heads of states and government of the Africa, CDC today is vital, because as heads of state, the responsibility of leadership in protecting the health and lives of our citizens rest 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 care facilities, training more health professionals, producing our own medicines and our own vaccines.
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 75 million Ghana cities to make Ghana a hub for vaccine research and manufacturing for our sub region.
We are soon to roll out our free primary health care program so that essential care is available to everyone, without cost, without barriers and without delay.
Just this year, we uncapped the National Health Insurance levy to restore 33 point 5 billion CDs. That’s about $300 million of health funding which was previously swept into the consolidated fund for consumption.
These are practical steps that demonstrate that where there’s political will, sovereignty is achievable.
Just last month, at the African health sovereignty summit in Accra, we launched the Accra compact and the Accra reset agenda.
The Accra reset agenda aims to transform the global governance structure amidst the current global uncertainty, and the starting point for this transformation is in the health sector.
Africa must not only be invited to global health discussions, Africa must be a co convener, we must be a co designer and a co owner of the solutions and outcomes of this global forum, today’s meeting.
