African countries must finance their own health systems – Akandoh

African countries have been urged to increase domestic investment in healthcare to reduce reliance on external funding and accelerate progress towards health sovereignty and universal health coverage.

Speaking on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama at the opening of the African Union Ministerial Meeting on Health in Accra on Tuesday, July 21, Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said the continent must take greater responsibility for financing resilient health systems capable of meeting the needs of its people.

The Health Minister called on African leaders to move beyond declarations and commit to concrete action by increasing domestic health financing in line with the Abuja Declaration, strengthening local production of medicines and vaccines, harmonising regulatory systems and building resilient supply chains.