President John Dramani Mahama has announced a major three-pillar reform initiative aimed at transforming global health governance and reducing Africa’s dependence on foreign-controlled healthcare systems.
Speaking at the 79th World Health Assembly on Monday, May 18, President Mahama said countries in the Global South must be empowered to finance their own healthcare systems, produce essential medicines locally and independently manage health data to build resilient healthcare sectors.
He criticised the current global health architecture, arguing that it places heavy administrative burdens on developing countries, where health ministers often spend more time preparing donor reports than improving primary healthcare delivery.
According to him, the expansion of global health institutions has not necessarily resulted in better healthcare outcomes for vulnerable populations.
To tackle the challenge, President Mahama unveiled the “Accra Reset” initiative, which will be driven by a Presidential Council made up of leaders from the Global South to champion reforms in global health governance and financing.
The initiative will operate through three key pillars, including a High-Level Panel on Reform comprising independent global experts tasked with reviewing the current global health system.
Another pillar, the Reform Interlocking Observatory, will coordinate the strategies of major international health bodies such as World Health Organization, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and The Global Fund to prevent policy clashes at the local level.
The third pillar, known as the Health Investment National Gateway (HINGE), is expected to drive investments in local pharmaceutical manufacturing, bioinnovation and broader health system strengthening.
President Mahama said the initiative is designed to help African countries gain greater control over their healthcare systems and reduce long-standing dependence on external support.