President John Dramani Mahama has voiced worry about Africa’s rising disease burden, warning that illness continues to cut short lives and slow progress across the continent.
He revealed that over 90 million people in Africa living with hepatitis B or C do not know their status, while malaria remains a serious health threat. He also pointed out that non-communicable diseases are responsible for more than two million deaths among Africans under 70 every year.
The President made the comments at the African Union (AU) Extraordinary Health Summit, where Heads of State and Government met to approve a fully funded continental plan to eliminate AIDS and tuberculosis by 2030.
In his opening speech, President Mahama urged African leaders to step up action on the region’s health problems, saying the continent must move past conventional health models and embrace bold, new solutions.
“Neglected tropical diseases continue to cause blindness, disfigurement and stigma among our citizens, and if you pay attention you will see that most reports on the worldwide infectious disease burden paint a particularly grim picture for Africa.
“Africa is now at a turning point that demands complete reform of its health sector. It can no longer accept being pushed to the margins and treated as a helpless recipient of charity from far-off global health institutions,” he said.
President Mahama also called on leaders to make sure pledges from the summit lead to real steps and trackable results, instead of ending as empty statements. He stressed that consistent political will, funding, and stronger health systems are critical to securing real and lasting improvements in healthcare delivery throughout Africa.
