Mahama calls for bold reforms to global health system at World Health Assembly

President John Dramani Mahama has announced that Ghana is on course to transition from funding support provided by GAVI, the global vaccine alliance, by the year 2030.

Speaking at the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva on Monday, May 18, President Mahama said Ghana’s progress in strengthening its healthcare systems and vaccine financing capacity had positioned the country to gradually move away from international vaccine assistance.

According to him, Ghana hopes to eventually become a contributor to global vaccine support initiatives in the future.

“Mahamacares is ensuring that specialised high-cost care is not a privilege for just a few but a right for all. Ghana, I am also happy to report, is on track to exit GAVI funding for vaccines by the year 2030, and we hope to transition into a donor in the not-too-distant future,” the President stated.

The announcement formed part of President Mahama’s broader address on healthcare reforms, universal health coverage, and health sovereignty for African countries during the high-level global health meeting organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

President Mahama also highlighted the government’s MahamaCares initiative, which aims to improve access to specialised and expensive medical treatment for ordinary Ghanaians.

He said the programme was designed to ensure that advanced healthcare services are accessible to all citizens rather than being limited to only a privileged few.

GAVI, officially known as the Vaccine Alliance, is a global public-private partnership established to improve access to life-saving vaccines in low-income countries.

Over the years, the alliance has supported Ghana’s national immunisation programmes by helping finance vaccines for diseases including measles, polio, pneumococcal infections, rotavirus, yellow fever, and human papillomavirus (HPV).

The organisation has also provided technical support and collaborated with international health agencies to improve vaccine coverage and reduce childhood mortality rates in Ghana.

Under GAVI’s transition framework, countries whose economies and gross national incomes rise above specified thresholds are gradually phased out of donor support and expected to independently finance their immunisation programmes.