Health Minister advocates for Health Sovereignty in Africa

The Minister for Health, Mr. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has stated that health sovereignty cannot be outsourced. It must be lived, financed, built, and defended at home.

He said the health sovereignty does not entail isolation; rather, it signifies the capacity to make impactful decisions, utilize domestic resources, and assert leadership over the systems that influence the life and health of the people. He added that, for years, Africa has been portrayed as a passive recipient of care, often spoken to with goodwill, yet rarely treated as an equal partner in health discussions.

He said this during the opening remarks of the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit held on Tuesday in Accra.

“We are here for one purpose. And it is not to repeat the comforting rhythm of old resolutions or to polish the language of declarations. We are here to reimagine and co-create a future where Africa owns its health destiny,” he emphasised.

He noted that health budgets have frequently been influenced not by the pressing needs of the populations but by the constraints of donor agendas. Adding that the dependency has deeply entrenched itself in the fabric of the health systems, often arising from the crises that have beset Africa.

The minister stated an old Arabic proverb: “He who has health has hope; and he who has hope has everything.”

He said health was the bedrock of dignity and the essential foundation for every freedom cherished, be it education, employment, equity, or even peace. Adding that a health system that is reliant on external forces cannot safeguard its citizens.

“Let us depart Accra with the firm, practical promises of a people who will no longer allow their dignity to rely on the kindness of others, rather than with empty platitudes. Let’s create a future in which our ethics, creativity, and investments ensure the welfare of our children,” he said.

Mr Akandoh called on African leaders to give the continent all it needs to be hopeful once more. 

“The task is immense. But it is not impossible. Because in truth, the most radical act in global health today is simple: To believe that Africa deserves better and to build accordingly. May we rise to the responsibility history has placed upon us,” he emphasised.

Grace Acheampong, ISD