President John Dramani Mahama has called for partnership in the establishment of vaccine production hubs in Africa.
He also urged pharmaceutical companies on the continent to expand their operations into biologics, generics, and essential medicine manufacturing, while encouraging private equity firms, venture capital, and philanthropies to co-finance Africa's health industrialisation.
"The conditions have never been more favourable. The African Continental Free Trade Area offers a unified market of about 1.3 billion.
“A growing innovation ecosystem is ready for acceleration. The African Medicines Agency is strengthening regulatory harmony, and most importantly, political will across the continent is very strong and aligned, and so the table is set, the opportunity is enormous, and the moment is now," the President further said.
He stressed the importance of partnership, and observed that the diagnostic equipment, such as CT scan, MRI and X-ray machines that were purchased for public hospitals in the country some years ago, were no longer working.
He said this showed that the private sector was better at delivering and maintaining such services than the public sector.
Event
President Mahama made the call at the second edition of the WHX Leaders Africa 2025 Summit in Accra yesterday.
The two-day event is on the theme: "Catalyzing Africa’s health revolution through investment, innovation, impact and Infrastructure."
It is being attended by ministers of state and government leaders from across Africa, captains of industry and global investors, innovators, scientists and health champions.
The summit is the premier gathering of Heads of State, ministers, industry pioneers, and global investors dedicated to revolutionising Africa’s healthcare landscape.
It has become a platform where ambition is converted into action and where Africa’s vision on health sovereignty gains clarity, strength and direction.
It also seeks to unlock strategic investments, forge groundbreaking alliances, and drive transformative action to create world-class, resilient healthcare systems across the continent.
Innovators
President Mahama further said that the future of Africa’s health care would be shaped by the imagination and ingenuity of young innovators.
“A healthier Africa will be a more prosperous Africa.
A more resilient Africa will strengthen global security, not heritage.
“A more innovative Africa will enrich the global health ecosystem.
We have the vision. We have the talents.
We have the determination.
What remains is to forge the partnerships,” he said.
On the summit, the President said they were meeting at a time of profound global shifts when health systems were being redesigned, supply chains being rewired, and new geopolitical realities forcing every region to rethink the issue of resilience.
He said those transformations presented both a challenge and an opportunity, adding that Africa could not afford to be a bystander.
Sovereignty
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, said no continent could be sovereign while importing most of its medicines and vaccines.
To lead in 2050, he said, Africa must invest in regional manufacturing hubs, strengthen pharmaceutical and medical-device production, harmonise regulatory systems, and build strong public–private partnerships that accelerate technology transfer.
A critical pillar of this transformation, the minister said, was Africa’s ability to produce essential tools of health care.
For her part, the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, also called on investors, private sector operators and researchers to deepen their partnerships with governments on the continent in order to revolutionise the health sector.
“Together, we can turn Africa’s health sector into a powerhouse of convenience, prosperity and pride. The time for action is now,” she said.
Gratitude
The President, Middle East, India, Turkiye and Africa at Informal Markets, Peter Hall, expressed gratitude to President Mahama for his inspiring leadership on the continent.
