President John Dramani Mahama has called for stronger, responsive and collaborative health regulatory systems across Africa to protect patients and restore public confidence in healthcare delivery.
Speaking at the 28th Annual International Conference of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa in Accra, President Mahama said achieving universal health coverage should not be limited to expanding access to healthcare but must also guarantee safety, quality, ethical practice and accountability.
He said African countries must strengthen their regulatory systems to respond effectively to emerging challenges confronting the health sector.
Among the challenges he identified were the rapid expansion of digital health and Artificial Intelligence (AI), migration of health professionals, forged professional qualifications, humanitarian crises and the increasing spread of health-related misinformation.
President Mahama urged medical regulators across the continent to deepen cross-border cooperation and establish effective systems for verifying the credentials of health professionals.
He also called for stronger safeguards for health data and appropriate regulatory frameworks to govern the use of digital health technologies and AI.
According to the President, AI should be deployed as a tool to support healthcare professionals rather than replace professional judgement and human responsibility.
President Mahama also outlined some initiatives being pursued by his administration to improve healthcare access and outcomes in Ghana.
He said the National Health Insurance Scheme currently covers approximately 76 per cent of the population, with government targeting an increase to 90 per cent.
He further highlighted the rollout of the Free Primary Healthcare Programme in about 160 districts as part of efforts to bring essential healthcare services closer to communities.
The President also pointed to ongoing efforts to expand local pharmaceutical production and strengthen Ghana’s capacity to meet its healthcare needs.
He urged African countries to strengthen cooperation and share knowledge and expertise to build resilient healthcare systems capable of responding to both current and emerging threats.
President Mahama said Africa must strive to develop health systems that are “African in ownership, global in quality and uncompromising in protecting the public.”
He subsequently declared the 28th Annual International Conference of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa officially open.
