By Seth Eyiah
Ahead of the opening of the General Debates of the 80th UN General Assembly today in New York, President John Mahama earlier joined his colleague Presidents in a meeting of Heads of State and Government of the Africa Centre for Disease Control on Securing Africa’s Health Sovereignty, Political Leadership for Sustainable Health Financing, Local Manufacturing, and Pandemic Preparedness.
President Mahama who will at 8.00 pm today host a side event on the Accra Reset: Re-imaging Global Governance for Health and Development, told the meeting that health is not a cost. It is the engine of productivity and the foundation of sovereignty. President Mahama said the truth is stark: external funding for healthcare and humanitarian assistance
is declining rapidly.
He said the US Congress in July cut eight billion dollars the budget for US international assistance. USAID contracts worth 54 billion dollars have been terminated. This he pointed out is not peculiar to the US alone. President Mahama said NATO allies, to meet the target of five percent of GDP for defence spending, are all making cuts to Overseas Development Assistance, cautioning that if the leaders do not take their countries health destiny into their own hands by shaping new strategies and partnerships, their citizens would be left without medicines, without vaccines, and without hope.
He warned that if they failed there will be a reversal in their health care outcomes and that is why sovereignty in health is not optional but survival. President Mahama said the meeting of the Committee of Heads of State and Government of the Africa CDC is vital because, as heads of state, the responsibility of leadership in protecting the health and lives of their citizens rests directly on their shoulders. They must therefore step up to the plate and redirect resources to where they matter most.
He urged the leaders to cut wasteful expenditure and channel funds to improving health facilities, training more health professionals, producing their medicines and their own vaccines. Citing Ghana’s experience, President Mahama said Ghana is not just talking about sovereignty, but working to make it real. He said Parliament has approved the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Act, a bold new programme that provides sustainable financing for people battling non-communicable diseases. Also, government has set up a National Vaccine Institute, backed with 75 million cedis, to make Ghana a hub for vaccine research and manufacturing for the region. And very soon, government will roll out a Free Primary Health Care programme, so that essential care is available to everyone without cost, without barriers, and without delay.
The President said government uncapped the National Health Insurance Fund to restore three point five billion cedis, about 300 million dollars, of health funding which was previously swept into the consolidated fund for consumption. He said these are practical steps, demonstrating that when political will is strong, sovereignty is achievable. President Mahama said at the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit in Accra, last month, the Accra Reset was launched. He explained that the Reset aims to transform the global governance architecture amidst the current global uncertainty. The starting point for this transformation is the health sector. President Mahama said Africa must not only be invited to global health discussions. Africa must be a co-convener, a co-designer, and a co-owner of solutions.
The meeting of the Committee of Heads of State and Government of the Africa CDC he said is the place to carry this vision forward. So when they go to GAVI, the Global Fund, or the Pandemic Fund, they must go as one Africa – united, determined, and demanding fairness and equity. He urged his Colleague leaders to move from words to action, saying as the world steps back, let Africa step forward calling on them to invest in their people’s health by investing in their health systems. He reminded the African leaders that health is not a cost. It is the engine of productivity and the foundation of sovereignty and the time to act is now.
