Your Excellency President Mahama,
Your Excellency former President Obasanjo,
Honourable ministers, distinguished guests, my dear brothers and sisters,
Thank you for the opportunity to join you today, and my thanks to President Mahama for his leadership in convening us to chart a new course for health financing and governance on our continent.
This Summit builds on the leadership of President Kagame and the work of the Africa Union to strengthen the reliance of African nations on their own resources to finance the health of their own people.
And it goes a step further, acknowledging that financing alone will not take us to the aspirations of the Lusaka Agenda, for “country-owned, investment-oriented, sustainable health systems”.
We must address the deficient global health architecture.
As you all know, sudden and steep cuts to aid are now causing the most severe disruptions to health systems since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to WHO’s latest analysis, health aid is projected to decline by up to 40% this year compared to just two years ago. This is not a gradual shift – it is a cliff edge.
Lifesaving medicines are sitting in warehouses, health workers are losing jobs, clinics are closing, and millions are missing care.
We must all adjust to this new reality.
But in this crisis lies an opportunity – an opportunity to shake off the yoke of aid dependency, and embrace a new era of sovereignty, self-reliance, and solidarity.
Many African leaders have told me they are ready to make that transition – as President Mahama is demonstrating.
And that is the critical first step: political commitment from the highest levels.
The responsibility for financing strong, resilient health systems rests with governments.
The most efficient and equitable source of health financing is the national budget.
Ghana is leading by example.
Earlier this year, Parliament passed reforms to increase financing for the National Health Insurance Scheme – filling the gap left by donor withdrawal, and delivering on President Mahama’s bold commitment to free primary health care for all.
This is what sovereignty looks like. Thank you Mr President.
Of course, private capital and philanthropic capital are both very important, but they can only complement public financing, they cannot replace it.
And more money alone is not enough. What’s important is how effectively that money is used.
WHO’s work with countries has shown that up to 13% of health budgets in low- and middle-income countries go unspent due to weak public financial systems.
That is money lost – but more importantly, it means lives lost.
WHO is now working with governments and partners – here in Africa and elsewhere – to strengthen value for money in several ways:
By developing essential health benefit packages and cost-effective policies;
By supporting countries to introduce or increase health taxes on tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks;
Through pooled procurement and investment in domestic manufacturing;
By integrating donor-funded vertical programmes into government-led systems based on primary health care;
Through public health insurance;
And through better budget execution using digital public financial management systems.
We must also confront the structural constraints.
Debt service burdens are crowding out social investments. And donor funding often bypasses national systems, making long-term planning almost impossible.
We cannot ignore the broader economic context.
In 2023, Africa received 74 billion US dollars in aid – but lost 90 billion dollars to illicit financial flows and 55 billion dollars to corporate tax exemptions.
Africa lost much more than it gained. This is unacceptable.
One practical solution is health taxes. A 50% price increase on harmful products like tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks could generate an additional 3.7 trillion dollars globally within five years – and save millions of lives.
Beyond domestic reforms, global change is essential. WHO is using its presence on global fora – from the G20 to the European Commission and the Seville Financing For Development to the UN and the BRICS Group – to call for a more democratic, fairer and accountable global health architecture.
In May, the World Health Assembly adopted a landmark resolution led by Nigeria and co-sponsored by over 25 countries – including Ghana, South Africa, Senegal and Zambia – calling for more domestic investment and deeper governance reform.
It reflects the Lusaka Agenda and the principles of “one plan, one budget, one report.”
WHO’s mandate is to support governments in building strong, resilient, inclusive health systems – guided by evidence and grounded in equity.
Let me be clear: Africa does not need charity. Africa needs fair terms. As President Nkrumah said over 60 years ago:
“We are not interested in handouts. We seek a new international order in which health and development are global rights – not privileges of the few.”
This is not a dream. It is a choice. The difference between crisis and opportunity is leadership.
We need leadership from governments – to invest in their people and their health.
We need leadership from creditors – to offer concessional lending at fair terms.
We need leadership from donors – to strengthen national systems, not create parallel ones.
Ultimately, health is not a cost to be contained – it is an investment to be nurtured: in people, in stability, and in prosperity.
The leadership by President Mahama to address these issues is vey timely. Thank you Your Excellency.
Let us seize this moment, not just to repair – but to transform.
Thank you. Medaase.