President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has arrived in Brussels as a global advocate for vaccine equity, lending his voice to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance’s crucial 2026–2030 replenishment effort.
President Mahama is attending the Global Summit on Health and Prosperity through Immunisation, an international gathering co-hosted by the European Union, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Gavi. The summit seeks to secure renewed financial commitments to immunise 500 million additional children and save over 8 million lives over the next five years.
Speaking ahead of the summit, President Mahama stressed the urgency of the mission.
“A fully funded Gavi is not just a health imperative, it is an economic one. It will save lives, protect communities from deadly outbreaks, and unlock billions in economic potential,” he said.
Gavi’s ambitious new strategy also aims to prevent up to 150 disease outbreaks, delivering over $100 billion in economic benefits globally, especially in lower-income countries.
President Mahama, who served as Ghana’s president from 2012 to 2017, has long been a champion of equitable healthcare. In 2013, he played a similar role in mobilising global support for Gavi’s mission.
“We’ve seen first-hand in Ghana and across Africa how vaccines transform lives,” he noted. “No child should die from a preventable disease simply because of where they were born.”
Since its launch in 2000, Gavi has helped vaccinate over 1 billion children, preventing more than 18.8 million deaths and generating more than $250 billion in economic gains for lower-income countries.
This year’s summit is a critical moment to reaffirm international solidarity in the face of global health threats, and to bring both traditional and emerging donors to the table.
“Gavi’s success is built on partnerships,” President Mahama said.
“Governments, civil society, communities, and the private sector—all must continue working together to ensure no one is left behind.”
While in Brussels, President Mahama is expected to hold bilateral meetings with senior leaders, including the President of the European Union Council of Ministers and Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The summit comes at a pivotal time, as the world seeks to strengthen health systems and protect vulnerable populations in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We must act with urgency and unity. The future of millions of children depends on what we do now,” President Mahama concluded.
