By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Over the past two days, Ghana has reinforced its position as a key driver of healthcare advancement in Africa during the World Health Expo (WHX) Leaders Summit. The Summit was graced by H.E. President John Mahama, whose continued dedication to the health sector underscores Ghana’s commitment to improving healthcare access, innovation, and systems strengthening across the continent.
Since January 7, Ghana has hosted a series of international health events, including the Accra Health Sovereignty Summit, all under the leadership and patronage of President Mahama. These events highlight the country’s proactive role in shaping Africa’s health agenda.
On the first day of the WHX Leaders Summit, Hon. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, Minister of Health, delivered a keynote on Africa’s Healthcare Vision for 2050, outlining strategic investments, innovative solutions, and cross-border partnerships necessary to position the continent as a global health powerhouse. The Minister also engaged with the Mount Sinai team to reinforce collaboration in research, capacity-building, and service delivery.
A high-level roundtable co-hosted with Pfizer provided a platform to share lessons from Ghana’s implementation of the Health Accord, focusing on improving access to medicines, strengthening procurement systems, and developing a resilient health workforce. The day concluded with discussions with the Gates Foundation on primary healthcare transformation, applications of artificial intelligence in health, local pharmaceutical manufacturing, and Ghana’s role in expanding Africa’s clinical trials network.
Day two continued the momentum with a keynote by Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu on Africa’s Health Sovereignty: Leadership in Action, emphasizing the need for self-reliant and resilient healthcare systems. The delegation held strategic bilateral engagements with global partners including Pfizer, Siemens, Hologic, SNIBE, MTN Foundation, and Roche, exploring opportunities in oncology, women’s health, diagnostics, digital medical records, pooled procurement, sickle cell care, renal health, and innovative technologies poised to strengthen Ghana’s healthcare delivery system.
Throughout the Summit, the overarching message was clear: Ghana, under the guidance of Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, is committed to building a resilient, innovative, equitable, and future-ready health system that not only meets the needs of its citizens but also positions the nation as a leader in advancing global health.
