By Prinscilla Bulu
President John Dramani Mahama has called on African countries to take full control of their health future, saying the continent must stop being a bystander in global health decisions.
He made the remarks while delivering a keynote address at the World Health Expo (WHX) 2025 on Tuesday, December 9, 2025.
Mahama said the world is going through major changes that affect health systems, supply chains, and global cooperation. Because of these changes, he explained, every region is rethinking how to build resilience.
He stressed that Africa must actively participate in shaping its health security, scientific leadership, and health economies.
“Africa cannot afford to be a bystander. Africa must be a participant,” he stated.
According to him, Africa is already showing strong potential. He highlighted the rise of young innovators in biotechnology, vaccine research, digital health, and medical manufacturing.
He also pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area, the largest in the world by population, as a major opportunity for new health markets and industrial growth.
However, he noted that Africa still faces serious challenges. These include weak supply chains, limited manufacturing capacity, health inequalities, and low investment in primary healthcare and emergency preparedness.
He reminded the audience that COVID-19 exposed many of these weaknesses, with Africa often receiving support last during the global crisis.
Mahama said the solution is health sovereignty, a system where Africa leads its own health agenda while working with partners who respect African priorities.
This includes strengthening the Africa CDC, the African Medicines Agency, and regional regulators; increasing local vaccine and medicine production; improving disease surveillance; and investing in the health workforce.
He explained that these goals align with Agenda 2063, the Africa CDC’s New Public Health Order, and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 3.
President Mahama then presented Ghana’s contribution to this continental agenda through three major initiatives that are:
1.The Ghana Medical Transplant Program – a national system to finance high-cost treatments such as cancer care, dialysis, advanced surgeries, and chronic disease management.
2. Universal Free Primary Healthcare – a system which ensures that every Ghanaian can access basic healthcare without financial barriers.
3. Strategic Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) – a system which expand diagnostic services, imaging, laboratories, and specialized care across the country.
Mahama described these three pillars as the foundation of Ghana’s health transformation and part of Africa’s wider move toward health sovereignty.
Mahama also called on global partners such as vaccine manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, and investors to support Africa by building vaccine hubs, medicine manufacturing plants, research centers, and medical device facilities on the continent.
He further encouraged development finance institutions, private equity firms, venture capital, and philanthropies to co-invest in Africa’s health industrialization.
President Mahama also emphasized that Africa is now ready. With a unified market of 1.3 billion people under AfCFTA, a growing innovation ecosystem, stronger regulatory systems through the African Medicines Agency, and strong political will across the continent, Mahama said the opportunity for progress is greater than ever.
“The conditions have never been more favorable,” he concluded. “The opportunity is enormous, and the moment is now.” He said.
