African leaders and health experts have called for a major shift towards domestic financing, stronger accountability and innovative solutions to rebuild the continent’s healthcare systems and reduce dependence on foreign assistance.
The call was made on Tuesday in Accra, Ghana, during a High-Level Interactive Policy Dialogue organised by the African Renaissance Trust and the Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Foundation with the theme, “Advancing Africa’s Health Agenda through Domestic Financing, Accountability and Strategic Innovations.”
The meeting, which brought together government officials, African Union institutions, regional bodies, development partners, private sector representatives, academics and global health experts, focused on practical measures to create a more sustainable health financing framework for Africa.
The dialogue was held alongside the African Union Extraordinary Summit on ending AIDS by 2030, tackling preventable maternal deaths, addressing communicable and non-communicable diseases, and strengthening health systems across the continent.
Participants noted that despite the adoption of the Abuja Declaration 25 years ago, many African countries continue to struggle with inadequate healthcare financing due to declining donor support, increasing debt pressures, population growth and rising demand for quality medical services.
Former Tanzanian President and Founder of the Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Foundation, Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, challenged African governments to move beyond repeated commitments and focus on implementation.
“Africa has not suffered from a shortage of ideas, strategies or innovations. What Africa needs is implementation,” Kikwete said, urging leaders to transform commitments into budgets, budgets into programmes and programmes into measurable outcomes that improve citizens’ lives.
He called for increased investment in primary healthcare, stronger accountability systems, expansion of local pharmaceutical production and deeper regional cooperation to safeguard Africa’s health future.
Representing Ghana’s Vice President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Deputy Minister of Health, Prof. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, said Ghana remained committed to achieving universal health coverage through targeted investments and reforms.
She highlighted initiatives such as the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, the Free Primary Healthcare Initiative and efforts to strengthen local vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
According to her, African countries must ensure that policy declarations translate into real improvements in healthcare delivery.
A panel session featuring senior African policymakers and health advocates stressed that achieving universal health coverage would require stronger domestic resource mobilisation, improved cooperation between health and finance ministries, better public financial management, private sector involvement, digital innovation and increased research capacity.
The panel also highlighted the importance of regional cooperation through institutions such as the African Medicines Agency to improve access to quality medicines and strengthen pharmaceutical production.
A key outcome of the dialogue was the unveiling of the African Renaissance Health Financing Insights Dashboard, a continental accountability platform designed to help governments and development partners monitor health financing commitments and identify funding gaps.
Director of the African Renaissance Trust, Caroline Kwamboka, described the platform as more than a data tool, saying it would promote transparency and ensure that health investments produce measurable results for citizens.
Participants agreed that Africa’s healthcare transformation depends on sustainable domestic financing, stronger accountability, increased private sector participation and faster adoption of homegrown innovations.
They resolved that the Accra Dialogue should serve as a foundation for a renewed continental health financing agreement built on ownership, accountability and strategic innovation.
