Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama has earned unanimous praise from African Heads of State at the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for championing the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit held in Accra in August.

The summit, which revitalised continent-wide discussions on health self-sufficiency and resilience, has been hailed as a turning point for Africa’s future.

Leaders noted that the initiative comes at a crucial time, as international funding for healthcare continues to decline.

The United States alone has announced an estimated £8 billion cut to overseas assistance, underscoring the need for Africa to chart its own course.

During a meeting of the Committee of Heads of State and Government of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)—attended by the Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO)—leaders agreed on an ambitious plan to establish regional drug manufacturing hubs.

The initiative aims to meet 60% of Africa’s pharmaceutical demand by 2040, a move expected to lower drug prices and create thousands of jobs across the continent.

President Mahama outlined Ghana’s proactive steps towards health independence, including the uncapping of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to expand access to care and the forthcoming ‘Big Push’ initiative, which will channel significant new investments into the health sector beginning next year.

“The Accra Reset is driving Africa forward,” Mahama declared, reaffirming his commitment to a future where African nations control their own healthcare destinies.