President John Dramani Mahama is expected to convene a high-level global health dialogue in Geneva today under the Accra Reset initiative, as part of efforts to reshape international health financing and reduce dependence on foreign-controlled systems.
The event, known as the Geneva Clarion Call, will bring together major international health institutions including the World Health Organization, Gavi, the Global Fund, the Pandemic Fund and the Rockefeller Foundation at the Global Health Campus in Geneva.
According to a statement signed by Government Communications Minister, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the initiative comes at a time when the global health financing system is facing mounting pressure.
“The world is witnessing an unprecedented contraction in health funding,” the statement said, noting that global health development assistance dropped from $49.6 billion in 2024 to $39.1 billion in 2025.
The statement added that the United States’ withdrawal from the WHO earlier this year had further widened funding gaps within the international health system.
Since convening the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit in 2025, Ghana has been promoting what it describes as “practical sovereignty” in healthcare delivery, aimed at helping countries in the Global South strengthen domestic systems and reduce long-standing dependence on external support.
“Since convening the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit in 2025, Ghana has led a movement to move beyond traditional aid toward practical sovereignty,” the statement said.
The Accra Reset initiative is guided by a Presidential Council made up of leaders from Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Kenya, Togo and Barbados, with support from a Guardians’ Circle of senior statesmen and women.
At the Geneva dialogue, the three new operational instruments will be introduced to support changes in health financing and delivery systems.
“The Accra Reset aims to reverse this dependency by establishing sovereign delivery systems that bypass traditional implementation bottlenecks,” the statement noted.
The 90-minute programme will feature WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, global health specialist Vanessa Kerry, and former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark.
The event will be streamed live on President Mahama’s social media platforms, the Ghana Presidency Facebook page, Africa.com and major television networks in Ghana.
The statement also pointed to Africa’s continued reliance on imported medicines and vaccines, noting that the continent imports 99 percent of its vaccines and 70 percent of its medicines.
The initiative is intended to help countries across Africa and the wider Global South build stronger healthcare delivery systems capable of operating with greater independence and stability.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
