Ghana Welcomes Continental Leaders for Landmark AU Extraordinary Summit on Health | Discuss Ghana

President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed Ghana’s readiness to host African Heads of State, Ministers of Health, heads of international health agencies, and development partners in Accra for the African Union (AU) Extraordinary Summit on Health, taking place from July 21 to 22, 2026.

The two-day high-level gathering convened under the auspices of the African Union Assembly serves as a decisive platform to evaluate continental health targets and accelerate implementation of the AU Roadmap to 2030.

“Accra is proud to welcome our brothers and sisters from across the continent as we unite to secure Africa’s health sovereignty,” President Mahama stated in his welcoming address ahead of the summit opening. “This summit is not merely about reviewing declarations; it is about taking concrete, domestic-led action to eliminate preventable diseases, protect maternal lives, and build resilient healthcare systems that leave no African behind.”

Core Agenda and Strategic Priorities

The summit brings together African leaders to address urgent, systemic public health challenges across member states:

Elimination of HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis by 2030: Accelerating targeted funding, access to antiretroviral therapies, and local diagnostic networks to achieve continental eradication milestones.

Maternal and Child Mortality: Mobilizing resources to upgrade rural emergency obstetric facilities, train mid-level healthcare workers, and expand universal health coverage.

Local Pharmaceutical Manufacturing: Expanding regional vaccine and drug production hubs to reduce Africa’s reliance on external supply chains during global health crises.

Health Financing & Domestic Sovereignty: Promoting country-led investment frameworks—building on initiatives like Ghana’s uncapped National Health Insurance allocations and Medical Trust Fund—to buffer against declining international donor assistance.

High-Level Declarations Expected

With AU Commission leadership and regional health ministers arriving at the Accra International Conference Centre, the summit is expected to culminate in the adoption of a unified Accra Declaration on Health Sovereignty, establishing binding domestic investment benchmarks and regional coordination mechanisms for disease surveillance across the continent.