WHO REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR AFRICA PAYS COURTESY CALL ON GHANA’S HEALTH MINISTER

The Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh today hosted a high-level delegation from the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa, led by Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, the Regional Director for Africa. The visit formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration and align with Africa’s evolving health priorities.
The courtesy call preceded the upcoming Africa Health Sovereignty Summit scheduled for August 5, 2025. The engagement reaffirmed the shared commitment between the WHO Regional Office and Ghana’s Ministry of Health to advance health system strengthening, sustainable domestic financing, and strategic leadership in public health.
The Hon. Minister in his welcome address, reiterated Ghana’s strong resolve to lead health reforms driven by national priorities rather than donor agendas. He outlined key government initiatives, including the expansion of the National Health Insurance Scheme, the introduction of the Primary Health Care for All policy, and the creation of strategic health financing mechanisms such as the Ghana Medical Trust Fund.
On his part, Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi commended Ghana for its proactive stance in addressing global funding cuts, and lauded Ghana’s leadership in charting a path towards sustainable health financing and called on African countries to align health strategies with their national agendas.
Dr. Janabi, lauded Ghana’s progress in making primary healthcare free, saying it is a commendable step in the right direction.
Discussions also focused on the importance of regional integration in health programming, cooperation, and the local production of essential medicines. Hon. Minister reaffirmed Ghana’s readiness to support regional self-reliance, citing the strength of the country’s regulatory institutions, particularly the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), and the operationalisation of the National Vaccine Institute.
The visit served as a platform to reaffirm both parties’ commitment to health sovereignty, increased domestic investment in health, and reduced external dependency. Both teams agreed to maintain close coordination to ensure practical and result-driven outcomes for the continent.