The President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has called on African leaders and development partners to move beyond discussions and deliver concrete solutions to the continent’s growing health and economic challenges.
Speaking at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi on Wednesday May 13,2026, Mahama co-chaired a high-level session on “Rethinking Global Health and Building Resilient National Health Systems,” where he stressed that Africa’s ambition for stronger healthcare systems cannot be achieved while countries remain trapped under unsustainable debt burdens.
Mahama warned that nations spending nearly half of their revenues on debt servicing are left with limited resources to invest in critical sectors such as healthcare, education, and agriculture.
“We cannot achieve health sovereignty when the heavy burden of debt stifles our progress,” he stated after the summit discussions.
The president used the platform to advocate for the Accra Reset, a proposed framework aimed at fostering stronger cooperation among African governments, private sector actors, and international partners.
According to him, the initiative seeks to replace fragmented approaches with coordinated strategies capable of delivering long-term resilience across the continent.
Mahama explained that the Accra Reset is focused on strengthening health systems, improving collaboration, and ensuring African countries are better prepared for future crises while still engaging global partners in meaningful and mutually beneficial partnerships.
The summit, held against the backdrop of post-pandemic recovery efforts and mounting fiscal pressures across Africa, centered on finding practical pathways toward economic stability and sustainable healthcare systems.
Mahama reiterated that the time had come for African leaders to move “from talk to action” in addressing the continent’s most pressing challenges.
CREDIT: Mavis Fantevi
