President John Mahama has urged African leaders to view health not as an expenditure but as a critical driver of development and sovereignty.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a high-level meeting of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in New York on Monday, the former Ghanaian leader warned that the continent\u2019s future depends on investing in stronger health systems.<\/p>\n
\u201cHealth is not a cost. It is the engine of productivity and the foundation of sovereignty,\u201d he declared.<\/p>\n
The meeting, held under the theme \u201cSecuring Africa\u2019s Health Sovereignty: Political Leadership for Sustainable Health Financing, Local Manufacturing, and Pandemic Preparedness,\u201d<\/em> gathered heads of state and government to reflect on how to build resilience in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n President Mahama\u2019s message comes as Africa seeks to scale up local vaccine manufacturing, secure sustainable financing, and strengthen preparedness for future global health emergencies.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, he is expected to advance the conversation further when he hosts a side event on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The discussion, scheduled for 8:00 p.m. GMT, is themed \u201cThe Accra Reset: Reimagining Global Governance for Health and Development.\u201d<\/em> It will convene global partners and policymakers to debate new frameworks for global health cooperation.<\/p>\n Mahama\u2019s interventions reflect growing calls for Africa to take greater ownership of its health security, ensuring the continent is not left behind when the next pandemic strikes.<\/p>\n \u201cLow pay, high expectations\u201d: Why three Ghanaian teachers migrated to the US<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/VL-970x250-1.png\"\/)
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