Ghana will host the first African Union (AU) Extraordinary Health Summit on July 21 and 22, bringing together African Heads of State and Government to adopt a fully costed continental roadmap to end AIDS and tuberculosis by 2030.

The two-day summit will also focus on tackling preventable maternal deaths, communicable and non-communicable diseases prevalent across the continent, while advancing strategies to strengthen Africa's health systems by the end of the decade.

Ahead of the summit, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, called on governments, development partners, the private sector, civil society organisations, and health professionals to support the initiative and work collectively to improve healthcare outcomes across Africa.

“I call upon member states, partners, the private sector, civil society, health professionals and all Africans to join us in Accra as we forge a new continental compact for healthier communities and a more prosperous Africa.

Together we can build the Africa we want; healthy, resilient and prepared for the future,” he said.