President John Dramani Mahama has called on African leaders to take urgent and decisive steps toward achieving the continent’s health sovereignty, warning that reliance on shrinking international aid is unsustainable.

Speaking at a high-level meeting of the Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC) in New York, the President underscored the need for Africa to mobilise its own resources, re-strategise, and invest heavily in healthcare systems to secure the well-being of its citizens.

“External funding for healthcare and humanitarian assistance is declining rapidly,” President Mahama cautioned.

“The US Congress in July cut $8 billion from its international assistance budget, while contracts worth $54 billion have been terminated.

NATO allies in Europe are also slashing overseas development assistance to meet higher defence spending targets.

If we do not take our health destiny into our own hands, citizens will be left without medicines, without vaccines, and without hope.”

He stressed that the responsibility to safeguard lives rests with African heads of state and governments, urging them to redirect resources from wasteful expenditure into strengthening health infrastructure, training professionals, and manufacturing medicines and vaccines locally.

Citing Ghana’s recent progress, the President outlined several initiatives aimed at health independence, including:

Passage of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Act to provide sustainable financing for patients battling Non-Communicable Diseases.

Establishment of a National Vaccine Institute with a seed fund of GH¢75 million, positioning Ghana as a hub for vaccine research and manufacturing in West Africa.

Plans to roll out free primary healthcare, ensuring access to essential care “without cost, without barriers, and without delay.”

Restoration of GH¢33.5 billion ($300 million) to the health sector by uncapping the National Health Insurance Levy, reversing previous diversions into the Consolidated Fund.

President Mahama concluded by urging fellow African leaders to prioritise health sovereignty as a cornerstone of sustainable development, stressing that the future resilience of the continent depends on its ability to protect and care for its people.