Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has been appointed as a Secretariat Member of the African High Level Ministerial Committee (AHLMC) under the African Union, tasked with advancing reforms in global health governance.
The appointment positions Ghana within a key continental effort to reshape global health systems and strengthen Africa’s influence in international health decision-making.
Dr Ayensu-Danquah, who is also the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan, will support the Secretariat in driving reforms focused on health governance, financing, equitable access to healthcare, resilient health systems, and improved data accountability.
Her appointment was confirmed in a letter dated 13 April 2026 and signed by the Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Dr Jean Kaseya, following a decision of the African Union Assembly at its 39th Ordinary Session in February 2026.
The AHLMC is an African Union initiative established to consolidate the continent’s position in global health discussions and push for a more equitable and effective global health architecture.
Under its framework, the Secretariat—led by the Africa CDC and supported by member states including Ghana—provides technical, policy, and operational support to ensure the delivery of agreed-upon reforms across priority health areas.
Dr Ayensu-Danquah, a board-certified general surgeon with specialist training in trauma, burns, and reconstructive surgery, brings extensive experience in clinical practice and public health policy.
She has played a key role in Ghana’s health sector, supporting efforts to strengthen health systems, expand access to care, and align national health strategies with continental priorities.
Her appointment comes at a time Ghana is intensifying efforts to deepen its role in global and continental health governance under President John Dramani Mahama.
The government’s health agenda includes strengthening public health financing, improving the National Health Insurance Scheme, and expanding access to primary healthcare, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
Key interventions include the rollout of the Free Primary Healthcare policy aimed at achieving universal health coverage by 2030, as well as the establishment of the Ghana Medical Health Trust to mobilise sustainable funding for critical healthcare delivery and specialist services.
The government has also pledged stronger engagement in continental health initiatives, including equitable access to medicines, local manufacturing of health products, disease surveillance, and data-driven accountability systems.
The Director-General of the Africa CDC, Dr Kaseya, said Dr Ayensu-Danquah’s expertise would significantly contribute to the work of the AHLMC Secretariat and help drive meaningful reforms in global health systems.
Beyond her public office, she holds medical qualifications from the University of Wisconsin and the University of Southern California and a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
She maintains medical licences in several US states, operates a private surgical facility in Accra, and serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Utah’s Center for Global Surgery.
Dr Ayensu-Danquah also leads the Healing Hands Organisation, which provides free surgical care and medical support to underserved communities while donating equipment to rural health facilities.
Her appointment is expected to enhance Ghana’s visibility in continental health governance and strengthen Africa’s collective voice in shaping global health reforms.
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