Mahama challenges financiers, regulators and industrialists to secure Africa’s health sovereignty
Story by: Regina Bless
President John Dramani Mahama has challenged financiers, regulators and industrial leaders to develop concrete solutions to reduce Africa’s dependence on imported medicines and vaccines and strengthen the continent’s health sovereignty.
Speaking at the Alamein Africa Forum in Egypt on Saturday, October 3, 2026, President Mahama argued that healthcare should no longer be viewed primarily as a budgetary cost or charitable activity, but as an investable, high-growth economic sector capable of driving manufacturing, job creation and economic stability.
The President challenged stakeholders to address three key areas. He asked financiers what de-risking and blended-finance mechanisms governments should provide to encourage long-term investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing. He challenged regulators to accelerate the operationalisation of the African Medicines Agency so that a single drug approval could facilitate access across African markets. He also urged industrialists to develop partnerships capable of moving the continent beyond basic packaging and fill-and-finish operations towards the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients locally.
President Mahama pointed to Africa’s heavy dependence on imported medicines and vaccines as a major vulnerability. He cited figures indicating that the continent imports more than 70 per cent of its pharmaceuticals and about 99 per cent of its vaccines.
He said reducing this dependence would require greater investment in local pharmaceutical production, regional value chains and health innovation.
Mahama Unveils HINGE
As part of efforts to address regulatory and market-access barriers, President Mahama announced HINGE — the Health Investment and National Gateway Enabler.
The digital platform, developed in collaboration with the African Medicines Agency, Institut Pasteur and AfroChampions, is intended to streamline regulation, clinical validation and commercialisation into a more unified process for health innovators and investors operating across Africa.
He also said the Accra Reset Presidential Council was deploying dedicated task forces and a Reform Interlock Observatory to track capital flows, enforce policy commitments and address non-tariff barriers affecting regional value chains.
Ghana’s Health Manufacturing Agenda
President Mahama highlighted Ghana’s own efforts under the Accra Reset, including the expansion of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Free Primary Health Care and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, alongside measures to strengthen domestic production of health products.
He cited developments in Egypt and Nigeria as examples of African initiatives aimed at strengthening domestic healthcare capacity and reducing reliance on overseas treatment and imported health products.
President Mahama ultimately called for governments and the private sector to work together to build factories, strengthen regional supply chains and finance health-sector innovation.
“Let us stop treating health as a line-item expense,” he urged delegates, making the case for a more self-reliant African health industry.