President John Dramani Mahama is set to host the African Union (AU) Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Accra from July 21 to 22, 2026.
The summit will be held under 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.”
According to a statement issued by the Presidency and signed by the Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the meeting will bring together African Heads of State and Government, Ministers of Health, Finance and Foreign Affairs, the African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities, development partners, civil society organisations, youth representatives and private sector actors.
The statement said the summit will focus on strengthening Africa’s health systems and accelerating the attainment of Universal Health Coverage across the continent.
The meeting will be held in two phases.
On July 21, technical experts from AU member states will convene to lay the foundation for discussions by ministers and Heads of State.
On July 22, the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government will meet to deliberate on and adopt key decisions on Africa’s health priorities, including a declaration aimed at accelerating the implementation of the African Union Roadmap to 2030.
The Presidency said Ghana’s hosting of the summit reflects President Mahama’s commitment to expanding access to healthcare and advancing health sector reforms across the continent.
According to the statement, government initiatives supporting this objective include the rollout of the Free Primary Health Care Programme, the uncapping of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to improve access to essential health services, and the establishment of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares) to support Universal Health Coverage.
The statement further noted that the government is investing in health infrastructure, workforce development, emergency preparedness and local pharmaceutical manufacturing to strengthen Ghana’s health system while contributing to continental efforts to end AIDS and tuberculosis and reduce maternal mortality.
A major side event of the summit will be a Call to Action on Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Survival, which will be led by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the African Union Champion for Maternal and Child Health, in partnership with the Accra Reset initiative.
The Presidency said the government looks forward to welcoming Heads of State, delegates and other stakeholders to Accra and reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to working with the African Union and its member states to advance Universal Health Coverage across Africa.
GHANA| AtinkaOnline.com