President John Dramani Mahama opened the World Health Expo (WHX) Leaders Africa 2025 Summit with a bold message: “Africa cannot afford to be a bystander.”

He argued that the continent’s biggest obstacle is not a lack of talent or opportunity, but a failure to fully control its own health agenda.

President Mahama cautioned that the weaknesses exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic will remain unless Africa builds its own manufacturing capacity, strengthens supply chains, and invests in resilient, innovative, and self-sustaining health systems.

He urged African countries to take charge of vaccine production, medical manufacturing and health technologies, noting that global emergencies repeatedly leave the continent at the back of the queue.

Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh echoed this call for ownership, urging development partners to support African-designed strategies rather than introduce external priorities.

He pointed to Ghana’s own reforms, including the Free Primary Healthcare Programme, which eliminates financial barriers at the point of care, and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, which expands access to advanced treatments such as oncology, dialysis and specialised diagnostics.

Mr Akandoh added that Ghana’s growing digital health infrastructure, powered by AI and supported by a national health intelligence database, is laying the foundation for equitable and evidence-driven healthcare delivery.

He stressed that the continent is ready for partnerships that are strategic, transformative and sustainable.

“Let this summit be remembered as the moment Africa chose ambition over caution and unity over fragmentation,” he said, calling on governments, investors and global health actors to help build a stronger and more self-reliant continent.

The WHX Leaders Africa 2025 Summit is a two-day gathering themed “Catalysing Africa’s Health Revolution Through Investment, Innovation, Impact and Infrastructure.”