AHF Applauds African Leadership in Strengthening Public Health

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) applauds the Government of Zambia for increasing its health budget allocation from 7% in 2021 to 12% today, an effort that reflects growing political commitment to strengthen national health systems and secure long-term sustainability. AHF also commends continental efforts by African presidents and regional institutions for driving urgent action on key public health priorities.

These decisive moves by African governments and institutions come at a time when the continent’s health sector is under immense pressure from a sharp 70% decline in Official Development Assistance between 2021 and 2025 and rising debt burdens, with countries expected to service $81 billion of debt by this year.

Ghana’s President John Mahama recently hosted the African Health Sovereignty Summit, which galvanized political will to reduce foreign aid dependency, promote health security and self-reliance, and position Africa as an equal partner in global health governance. Leadership by African presidents has been instrumental in championing vital health priorities to create a stronger, more resilient, and more independent health system for Africa:

• Ghana President John Mahama: health sovereignty
• Kenya President William Ruto: regional production
• Nigeria President Bola Tinubu: health workforce
• Rwanda President Paul Kagame: health financing
• South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa: pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response
• Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema: cholera response

Additionally, institutions such as the African Union (AU), Africa CDC, and AU Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) are working with governments and partners to mobilize funding and expand regional vaccine and medical commodity production, with progress already visible in local manufacturing, financing, regulatory frameworks, and regional markets.

Earlier this year, the Africa CDC launched the “Africa's Health Financing in a New Era” strategy, and in June, together with the AU, Africa Medicines Agency, African Continental Free Trade Area, and AUDA-NEPAD, among others, established a team to ensure policy coherence, improve efficiency, and advance a unified position on policy implementation.

“The leadership emerging at national and regional levels across Africa shows how governments and institutions can transform global health by moving from a donor-recipient model to sovereignty and shared ownership, which AHF has always supported,” said AHF Executive Vice President Dr. Penninah Iutung. “Robust regional systems foster South-South cooperation, pooled procurement, and greater leverage in global negotiations, while enabling coordinated responses and data sharing. We encourage governments and partners to continue investing in regional approaches, adopting innovative financing, such as debt swaps and leveraging support from multilateral development banks, and strengthening cross-border collaboration to secure a more equitable and sustainable health future.”