• President John Mahama to meet African leaders on August 5 to reshape global health rules
• Summit to launch new Africa-led initiatives focused on investment and local leadership
• Meeting comes amid rising health threats and declining international aid

Ghana is hosting a high-level summit on August 5, bringing together African heads of state, health policymakers, and global partners to rethink the continent’s health sovereignty and the global health governance system. The summit, convened by President John Dramani Mahama, aims to open a new chapter rooted in local leadership, national ownership, and increased domestic investment, according to an official statement released on August 3.

“The current global health governance framework, designed in a different era, no longer adequately reflects today’s political, economic, or demographic realities,” the statement said. It stressed the urgent need to reform how health is managed globally so that Africa's leadership and voice are given a central role.

Key outcomes expected from the summit include the formation of a presidential task force to draft a new roadmap for overhauling global health governance. Also planned is the launch of the SUSTAIN initiative, which will promote country-led health systems centered on investment. Participants are also expected to endorse the Accra Pact, which lays out Africa’s vision for achieving health sovereignty and creating a fairer world health order.

The summit takes place at a time of fast-changing geopolitical and economic dynamics. A major concern is the reduction of U.S. aid, which threatens key programs for HIV/AIDS prevention and immunization efforts. Meanwhile, rising conflicts, natural disasters, and economic challenges are increasing humanitarian needs and putting extra pressure on international aid systems.

Africa currently bears 25% of the global disease burden but has just 1.3% of the world’s health workforce, according to data from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). At the same time, African countries continue to battle endemic diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, while also facing a rapid rise in noncommunicable diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

“Africa must take charge of its health destiny, not in isolation, but through determined, coordinated action. This Summit is our moment to lead not only in financing our systems but also in reshaping the rules that govern global health, rules that must reflect the voices and realities of our people,” President Mahama said.