Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, has called for a decisive shift from commitments to implementation in advancing Africa’s health agenda.

Speaking at the AU Extraordinary Health Summit in Accra, Mr Youffouf reiterated that the AU Roadmap to 2030 and Beyond was Africa’s implementation compact, designed to end AIDS, eliminate preventable maternal and child deaths, combat communicable and non-communicable diseases, strengthen resilient health systems, and advance Universal Health Coverage.

The two-day high-level summit, which was hosted by President John Dramani Mahama, brought together African Heads of State, as the Chairperson of the African Union, President Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi; President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania and President Romuald Wadagni of Benin.

The summit was on the theme “Advancing Justice, Equity and Universal Health Coverage: Ending AIDS, TB, Improving Maternal Health, Addressing Endemic Non-Communicable and Neglected Tropical Diseases and Conditions in Africa”.

The summit is seeking to galvanise political commitment and accelerate collective action to end AIDS and tuberculosis by 2030, reduce preventable maternal and child deaths, tackle the growing burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, and strengthen resilient health systems across the continent.

Mr Youssouf said Africa’s health sovereignty depends on stronger domestic financing, local manufacturing of medicines and vaccines, robust regulatory systems, research and innovation, and sustained political leadership.

Mr Youssouf appealed to the Member States of the AU to translate the Accra Declaration and national pledges into measurable action.

“Future generations will remember this Summit not for our speeches, but for whether we changed the trajectory of health in Africa,” Mr Youssouf stated.