President John Dramani Mahama has called for stronger, responsive, and collaborative health regulation across Africa to safeguard patients and strengthen public confidence in healthcare systems.
Addressing the 28th Annual International Conference of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa in Accra, President Mahama said universal health coverage must go beyond access to healthcare to include safety, quality, ethics, and accountability.
He said the rapid growth of digital health and artificial intelligence, migration of health professionals, forged qualifications, humanitarian crises, and the spread of misinformation were creating new challenges for health regulators across the continent.
President Mahama urged African medical regulators to strengthen cross-border cooperation and systems for verifying professional credentials while ensuring that health data is adequately protected.
He also called for appropriate regulatory frameworks to govern digital health and artificial intelligence, stressing that technology must complement rather than replace professional judgement and human responsibility.
Ghana’s health agenda
On Ghana’s health sector, President Mahama said the National Health Insurance Scheme currently covers about 76 percent of the population, with the government targeting 90 percent coverage.
He also highlighted the rollout of the Free Primary Healthcare Programme in about 160 districts as part of efforts to expand access to essential healthcare.
According to the President, the government is also working to expand local pharmaceutical production to strengthen the country’s capacity to meet its healthcare needs.
President Mahama urged African countries to deepen collaboration and develop health systems that are “African in ownership, global in quality and uncompromising in protecting the public.”
