The Office of the President has announced that, on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), African leaders commended President John Dramani Mahama for spearheading bold health initiatives aimed at strengthening self-sufficiency across the continent.
At a meeting of the Committee of Heads of State and Government of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), which was also attended by the Director General of the World Health Organisation, leaders agreed to establish regional drug manufacturing hubs. The hubs are expected to meet 60 percent of Africa’s pharmaceutical demand by 2040, a policy expected to reduce drug prices and create jobs.
The Presidency highlighted Ghana’s proactive measures, including the uncapping of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to expand access and the launch of the “Big Push” initiative, which will significantly increase investment in the health sector starting next year.
Officials emphasised that these efforts, inspired in part by India’s resilient pharmaceutical sector, mark a major shift from dependency on international aid toward sustainable, Africa-led healthcare solutions.
