President John Dramani Mahama has warned that deep cuts in global health financing and the weakening of multilateral cooperation are threatening Africa’s healthcare systems, urging countries to embrace what he described as a new era of “health sovereignty.”
Speaking at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva on Monday, May 18, President Mahama painted a bleak picture of the global health financing landscape, arguing that the traditional donor-dependent model was rapidly collapsing.
“We meet at the 79th World Health Assembly amid uncertainty.
“Shifting global geopolitics and deliberate assaults on the world's multilateral system have created doubts about the trajectory of global health cooperation and reform.” - President Mahama
The Ghanaian leader noted that humanitarian assistance worldwide has reportedly declined by 40%, while major Western economies have sharply reduced overseas development assistance.
According to him, the situation has significantly affected Africa’s public health systems, including Ghana’s.
Ghana Loses $78 Million in Health Funding
Mahama disclosed that Ghana lost approximately $78 million in health funding following the closure of United States aid programmes, with the cuts heavily affecting malaria, HIV/AIDS, maternal health and nutrition services.
“This money went mainly into malaria programs, maternal and child health, nutrition, HIV AIDS programs, including testing and delivery of antiretroviral drugs.” - President Mahama
He also cited the impact of funding cuts in South Africa, where the abrupt withdrawal of PEPFAR funding reportedly shut down clinics and disrupted HIV treatment services for more than one million people.
Mahama warned that if current trends continue, millions of preventable deaths and rising poverty levels could follow across Africa.
“It is estimated that the direct consequences of this aid suspension could push about 5.7 million Africans into poverty by the end of 2026,” he stated.
The President said these developments partly inspired the creation of the “Accra Reset” initiative, a movement advocating greater African control over health financing, production and governance systems.
“These cuts in humanitarian assistance and ODA, as painful as they are, serve as the final clear signal that the old system of donor dependency is past its sell-by date.” - President Mahama
Call for Health Sovereignty
Mahama argued that African countries must begin treating health spending as an economic investment rather than simply a social responsibility.
“We come to build a future where a country's health is not a by-product of charity, but the result of sovereign capability,” he said.
The President stressed that health sovereignty does not mean isolationism, but rather the ability of countries to finance core health functions, regulate quality standards and produce essential medicines locally.
“A continent that manufactures less than 1% of its vaccines while carrying 25% of global disease burden is not sovereign. It is vulnerable,” Mahama stated.
He further called for reforms within the global health system, insisting that international institutions must prioritise practical impact over bureaucratic preservation.
“The WHO’s legitimacy is not served by protecting silos. It is served by a fearless analysis of what works,” he said.
Mahama concluded by urging world leaders to focus on building resilient health systems that guarantee equal survival opportunities for children in both the Global South and Global North.
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