President of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has warned that millions of lives across Africa are at risk as global health funding continues to decline following major cuts in international assistance programmes.
Delivering a keynote address at the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland, President Mahama said the world was witnessing a dangerous shift in global health cooperation that could have devastating consequences for vulnerable populations.
According to him, humanitarian assistance globally has declined by about 40 percent, while several major Western economies have significantly reduced overseas development assistance.
He revealed that Ghana alone lost about $78 million following the closure of USAID programmes, affecting malaria interventions, maternal and child healthcare, nutrition, HIV/AIDS testing, and the delivery of antiretroviral drugs.
President Mahama also referenced the situation in South Africa, where the abrupt withdrawal of PEPFAR funding reportedly forced clinics to shut down and left about 1.4 million people living with HIV uncertain about treatment continuity.
“We are told that by 2030, nine million preventable deaths could occur due to these shifts,” he stated.
The President stressed that the old system of donor dependency was no longer sustainable and called for a new era of “Health Sovereignty” across Africa.
According to him, African countries must build resilient healthcare systems capable of financing core health functions, producing medicines locally, and protecting citizens without overreliance on external donors.
President Mahama noted that Ghana had already begun implementing practical reforms aimed at strengthening the country’s healthcare sector despite the global challenges.
He added that the future of healthcare must be based on partnership and self-reliance rather than dependency and uncertainty.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️)/Ahotoronline.com | Ghana 🇬🇭
