The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Grace Ayensu Danquah, has been appointed as a Secretariat Member of the African High-Level Ministerial Committee (AHLMC) to help lead the reform of the global health architecture in a way that benefits the continent and its citizens.

The AHLMC is a flagship African Union initiative aimed at strengthening Africa’s influence in global health decision-making, and Dr Ayensu Danquah is also the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan.

Dr Ayensu-Danquah’s appointment was announced in a letter dated April 13, 2026, and signed by Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director General, Dr Jean Kaseya, following a decision by the AU Assembly at its 39th Ordinary Session in February 2026.

The committee was established to consolidate Africa’s position and push for a more equitable, coherent and effective global health system.

Under the AHLMC framework, the Secretariat, led by the Africa CDC and supported by member states, including Ghana and South Africa, provides strategic, technical and operational support to the committee. Its work spans high-level engagement, policy and analytical support, stakeholder coordination and delivery of agreed reforms.

As a Secretariat member, Dr Ayensu-Danquah, a board-certified general surgeon, will contribute to advancing key priorities such as health governance reform, sustainable financing, equity in access to healthcare, resilient health systems, and data and accountability. Each thematic workstream is supported by a dedicated Secretariat to ensure coordination and high-quality outcomes.

Dr Ayensu Danquah, a seasoned public health policy expert with advanced fellowship training in trauma, burns, and reconstructive surgery, has played a central role in Ghana’s health sector leadership, supporting national efforts to strengthen health systems, expand access to care and align domestic health policy with regional and continental frameworks.

Growing confidence in President Mahama's health policies

Her appointment to the AHLMC positions Ghana prominently within Africa’s push to reshape global health governance and amplify the continent’s collective voice.

The appointment also aligns with the government’s broader health agenda under President John Dramani Mahama, which places renewed emphasis on health sovereignty through health system strengthening, preventive care and regional cooperation.

President Mahama has prioritised improving public health financing, rebuilding confidence in the National Health Insurance Scheme, and expanding access to primary healthcare, particularly in underserved and rural communities. The President recently launched the Free Primary Healthcare policy to help Ghana achieve Universal Health coverage by 2030.

President Mahama also launched the Ghana Medical Health Trust, a flagship initiative aimed at mobilising sustainable funding to support critical healthcare delivery, infrastructure and specialist care. The trust is intended to complement public health financing by channelling dedicated resources into priority medical interventions, strengthening tertiary care and improving access to quality treatment, particularly for complex and high-cost health conditions.

The government has also pledged to deepen Ghana’s role in continental and global health governance, backing initiatives that promote equity in access to medicines, local manufacturing of health products, stronger disease surveillance and data accountability.

Dr Ayensu-Danquah’s experience to drive meaningful reform

Dr Kaseya of CDC said Dr Ayensu-Danquah’s experience and leadership at both national and continental levels would “greatly enrich the work of the AHLMC Secretariat” and help drive meaningful reform in global health systems.

Dr Ayensu-Danquah also holds medical degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and the University of Southern California, along with a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, all in the United States of America.

She maintains active medical licences in California, Michigan and Maryland in the United States. She also operates a private surgical facility in Accra and serves as an Adjunct Professor of Surgery at the University of Utah's Centre for Global Surgery.

Dr Ayensu-Danquah was also a member of the Technical Advisory Committee on the Safety of Vaccines and Biological Products of Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority and Days for Girls International Ghana.

Beyond her impressive clinical work, the lawmaker has made substantial contributions to Ghana's health care through her Healing Hands Organisation.

The non-governmental medical organisation provides free surgical and medical care to underserved communities and donates essential medical equipment to rural health facilities.

She is a fellow of multiple prestigious medical colleges, including the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons.