Mahama hosts African leaders for AU Summit on Universal Health Coverage and Disease Control
President John Dramani Mahama is hosting African leaders in Accra for the African Union (AU) Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, with the high-level meeting focusing on expanding universal health coverage and accelerating efforts to combat AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and other major public health challenges across the continent.
The two-day summit, being held from July 21 to 22, has attracted Heads of State and Government, ministers responsible for health, finance and foreign affairs, officials of the African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities, development partners, civil society organisations, youth representatives and private sector stakeholders.
The summit is being 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."
In a statement issued on Tuesday, July 21, and signed by the Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Presidency said the gathering will assess Africa's progress in addressing key public health challenges and adopt measures to improve access to quality healthcare across the continent.
According to the statement, the summit is structured in two phases. The first day is dedicated to technical discussions by experts from AU member states, who are expected to prepare reports and recommendations for consideration by ministers and Heads of State.
On the second day, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government will deliberate on the recommendations and adopt key decisions, including a declaration aimed at accelerating the implementation of the African Union Roadmap to 2030.
The Presidency said Ghana's hosting of the summit underscores the country's growing leadership in advancing health policy discussions on the continent and reflects President Mahama's commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery.
The statement highlighted several initiatives being implemented by the government, including the Free Primary Health Care Programme, the removal of the cap on National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) funding to improve access to healthcare services, and the establishment of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as MahamaCares, to support sustainable healthcare financing.
It added that government is also investing in health infrastructure, expanding the training of healthcare professionals, enhancing emergency preparedness and promoting local pharmaceutical manufacturing to build a more resilient health system.
As part of the summit, participants will also attend a special side event on maternal, newborn, child and adolescent survival. The programme will be led by the African Union Champion for Maternal and Child Health, President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, in collaboration with the Accra Reset initiative.
The Government of Ghana welcomed Heads of State, delegates and other participants to the summit and reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with the African Union and member states to strengthen healthcare systems and improve health outcomes across Africa.