The director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Ghebreyesus, on Tuesday urged African leaders to shake off the yoke of aid dependency and invest in resilient, country-owned health systems.

Mr Ghebreyesus made the remarks on Tuesday at the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit in Accra, Ghana, convened under the ambitious Accra Initiative.

He commended President John Mahama of Ghana for his bold leadership in convening the summit and championing reforms aimed at increasing domestic health financing.

“This summit builds on the leadership of President Kagame and the African Union to strengthen reliance on domestic resources. But it goes a step further, acknowledging that finance alone will not take us to the aspirations of the Lusaka Agenda,” he said.

According to the WHO chief, the continent faces a health financing cliff as health aid declines drastically.

“Aid is projected to decline by up to 40 per cent this year compared to just two years ago.

“Life-saving medicines are sitting in warehouses, health workers are losing jobs, clinics are closing, and millions are missing care,” he warned.

Despite the crisis, he called on African leaders to seize the opportunity to transform, noting that the crisis presents an opportunity to embrace a new era of sovereignty, self-reliance, and solidarity.

He hailed Ghana’s recent reforms, including legislation to increase financing for its National Health Insurance Scheme, as a model of health sovereignty.

Mr Ghebreyesus stressed that while private and philanthropic capital are valuable, they must complement, not replace, public financing.

He also stressed the need for better utilisation of existing funds, revealing that up to 13 per cent of health budgets in low and middle-income countries go unspent due to weak financial systems.

To address these inefficiencies, he said the WHO is supporting governments with tools such as health taxes, public procurement, domestic manufacturing investment, and digital public health financial systems.

“We must also confront structural constraints. Debt service burdens are crowding out social investments, and donor funds often bypass national systems,” he added.

He cited staggering statistics to underscore Africa’s financial disadvantage: in 2023, the continent received $74 billion in aid but lost $90 billion to illicit financial flows and $55 billion through corporate tax exemptions.

“Africa lost more than it gained from aid. This is unacceptable,” he stated.

He championed health taxes as a practical solution, noting that a 50 per cent price increase on harmful products could generate $3.7 trillion globally in five years and save millions of lives.

On the global stage, the WHO DG stated that the organisation is advocating for a more democratic and equitable health architecture, referencing the recent landmark resolution at the World Health Assembly, led by Nigeria and co-sponsored by over 25 countries, including Ghana.

“Africa does not need charity. Africa needs fair terms,” he said

He echoed Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah: “We are not interested in handouts. We seek a new international order in which health and development are global rights, not privileges for the few.”

Mr Ghebreyesus added with a rallying call for global and continental leadership: “The difference between crisis and opportunity is leadership.

“It’s an investment to be nurtured, in people, in stability, and prosperity,” he said.

The Accra Health Sovereignty Summit will continue this week with sessions aimed at developing actionable strategies to deliver on the Lusaka Agenda and establish a new global health order anchored in African leadership, accountability, and sustainability.

(NAN)