The director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has issued a powerful call to action to African leaders, urging them to embrace “health sovereignty” by shaking off aid dependency and investing in resilient, country-owned health systems.
Ghebreyesus delivered the message on Tuesday at the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit in Accra, Ghana, which was convened under the ambitious Accra Initiative. he acknowledged the bold leadership of president john mahama of Ghana in organizing the summit and championing key reforms aimed at increasing domestic health financing.
The WHO director-general’s remarks serve as a strategic directive, pushing for a fundamental shift in how health is financed and managed across the continent to ensure a more sustainable and equitable future.
“This summit builds on the leadership of President Kagame and the African Union to strengthen reliance on domestic resources. But it goes a step further, acknowledging that finance alone will not take us to the aspirations of the Lusaka Agenda,” he said.
According to the WHO chief, the continent was facing a health financing cliff as health aid declines drastically.
“Aid is projected to decline by up to 40 per cent this year compared to just two years ago.
“Life-saving medicines are sitting in warehouses, health workers are losing jobs, clinics are closing, and millions are missing care,” he warned.
Despite the crisis, he called on African leaders to seize the opportunity to transform, adding that in the crisis lies an opportunity to embrace a new era of sovereignty, self-reliance, and solidarity.
He hailed Ghana’s recent reforms, including legislation to increase financing for its National Health Insurance Scheme, as a model of health sovereignty.
He stressed that while private and philanthropic capital are valuable, they must complement, not replace, public financing.
He also stressed the need for better utilisation of existing funds, revealing that up to 13 per cent of health budgets in low- and middle-income countries go unspent due to weak financial systems.
To address these inefficiencies, he said WHO is supporting governments with tools such as health taxes, pooled procurement, domestic manufacturing investment, and digital public health financial systems.
“We must also confront structural constraints. Debt service burdens are crowding out social investments, and donor funds often bypass national systems,” he added.
He cited staggering statistics to underscore Africa’s financial disadvantage: in 2023, the continent received 74 billion dollars in aid but lost 90 billion dollars to illicit financial flows and 55 billion dollars through corporate tax exemptions.
“Africa lost more than it gained from aid. This is unacceptable,” he stated.
He championed health taxes as a practical solution, noting that a 50 per cent price increase on harmful products could generate 3.7 trillion dollars globally in five years and save millions of lives.
On the global stage, the WHO DG said the organization is pushing for a more democratic, equitable health architecture, referencing the recent landmark resolution at the World Health Assembly led by Nigeria and co-sponsored by over 25 countries, including Ghana.
“Africa does not need charity. Africa needs fair terms,” he said
He echoed Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah: “We are not interested in handouts. We seek a new international order in which health and development are global rights, not privileges for the few.”
He added with a rallying call for global and continental leadership: “The difference between crisis and opportunity is leadership.
“It’s an investment to be nurtured, in people, in stability, and prosperity,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the Accra Health Sovereignty Summit continues this week with sessions aimed at developing actionable strategies to deliver on the Lusaka Agenda and establish a new global health order anchored in African leadership, accountability, and sustainability.
