Health is not a cost, but the foundation of sovereignty – Mahama to African Leaders

President John Dramani Mahama has called on African leaders to stop treating health as an expenditure line and instead view it as a critical investment in development and sovereignty.

Speaking at a high-level meeting of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in New York on Monday, September 23, 2025, Mr Mahama cautioned that the continent’s survival and prosperity hinge on building stronger, more resilient health systems.

“Health is not a cost. It is the engine of productivity and the foundation of sovereignty,” he stressed.

The meeting, themed “Securing Africa’s Health Sovereignty: Political Leadership for Sustainable Health Financing, Local Manufacturing, and Pandemic Preparedness,” brought together heads of state and government to explore ways of strengthening Africa’s response capacity in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Mahama’s remarks come at a time when the continent is seeking to scale up vaccine manufacturing, secure long-term financing for health, and bolster pandemic preparedness.

According to a report on citinewsroom, the Ghanaian leader is expected to host a high-level side event on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, September 24, 2025.

The dialogue, scheduled for 8:00 p.m. GMT, is themed “The Accra Reset: Reimagining Global Governance for Health and Development” and will bring together global policymakers and partners to deliberate on new frameworks for global health cooperation.