President John Dramani Mahama today welcomed African leaders, ministers, health experts and development partners to Accra for the African Union (AU) Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government on Universal Health Coverage (UHC), marking a significant milestone in the continent’s collective effort to strengthen healthcare systems and improve health outcomes.
Held under the theme, “Advancing Justice, Equity and Universal Health Coverage: Ending AIDS, TB, Improving Maternal Health, Addressing Endemic Non-Communicable and Neglected Tropical Diseases and Conditions in Africa,” the two-day summit is bringing together Heads of State and Government, Ministers of Health, Finance and Foreign Affairs, the African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities, civil society organisations, youth representatives, development partners and private sector actors.
The summit commenced on Tuesday with a Member State Experts Meeting, where senior officials from ministries responsible for health, finance and development planning are laying the technical foundation for discussions by ministers and Heads of State.
The main Assembly of Heads of State and Government will convene on Wednesday, July 22, to deliberate on and adopt key decisions, including a declaration to accelerate implementation of the African Union Roadmap to 2030 on Universal Health Coverage and disease elimination.
Hosting the summit underscores Ghana’s growing leadership in advancing equitable healthcare across Africa under President Mahama’s administration. Since assuming office, the government has implemented major health sector reforms, including the rollout of the Free Primary Health Care Programme, the uncapping of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to expand access to essential health services, and the establishment of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares) to provide sustainable financing for Universal Health Coverage.
The government has also intensified investments in health infrastructure, healthcare workforce development, emergency preparedness and local pharmaceutical manufacturing to improve access to quality healthcare while strengthening Ghana’s resilience against public health challenges.
A major highlight of the summit will be a Call to Action on Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Survival, to be led by H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania and African Union Champion for Maternal and Child Health, in partnership with the Accra Reset initiative.
The Government of Ghana says the summit presents a unique opportunity for African countries to renew their commitment to health equity, justice and universal access to quality healthcare, while strengthening continental collaboration to end AIDS and tuberculosis, reduce maternal mortality and tackle non-communicable and neglected tropical diseases.
President Mahama reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to working closely with the African Union and its Member States to transform policy commitments into practical actions that improve the health and wellbeing of people across the continent.
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
