President Mahama Calls for Continental Unity as Opening Ceremony of AU Extraordinary Health Summit Begins in Accra | Discuss Ghana

President John Dramani Mahama has officially invited African Heads of State, health policymakers, development partners, and civil society actors to join the opening ceremony of the African Union (AU) Extraordinary Summit on Universal Health Coverage and Ending AIDS at the Accra International Conference Centre.

The high-level Assembly of Heads of State and Government—convening under the theme “Advancing Justice, Equity and Universal Health Coverage: Ending AIDS, TB, Improving Maternal Health, Addressing Endemic Non-Communicable and Neglected Tropical Diseases and Conditions in Africa”—aims to establish a unified continental strategy to secure healthcare access for all Africans.

“President John Dramani Mahama invites you to join the Opening Ceremony of the African Union Extraordinary Summit on Universal Health Coverage and Ending AIDS,” the Presidency stated in an official announcement ahead of the summit opening. “Together, Africa advances justice, equity and better health outcomes for all.”

Key Highlights of the Opening Session

Continental Leadership in Attendance: African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, alongside visiting Heads of State, foreign ministers, and health officials across the 55 AU member states, assembled in Accra to adopt a binding Accra Declaration on Health Sovereignty.

Special Focus on Maternal Health: A key side event on maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent survival is being led by President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania—the AU Champion for Maternal and Child Health—in partnership with Ghana's Accra Reset health initiative.

Domestic Initiatives Highlighted: President Mahama outlined Ghana’s domestic progress—including the rollout of the Free Primary Health Care Programme, the uncapping of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares)—as scalable models for financing healthcare independently across the continent.

With technical expert sessions concluded, continental leaders are expected to adopt key decisions aimed at accelerating the African Union's Roadmap to 2030 by the close of the summit.