President Mahama to Host AU Extraordinary Summit on Universal Health Coverage, Ending AIDS in Accra
President John Dramani Mahama will host the African Union (AU) Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Accra from July 21 to 22, 2026, as African leaders gather to advance the continent’s health agenda.
The summit, themed “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,” will bring together Heads of State and Government, Ministers of Health, Finance and Foreign Affairs, officials of the African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities, development partners, civil society organisations, youth representatives and private sector stakeholders.
According to a statement from the Presidency Communications Office, participants will deliberate on strategies to strengthen Africa’s health systems and accelerate the implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) across the continent.
The two-day event will begin on July 21 with a Member State Experts Meeting involving senior officials from the Ministries of Health, Finance and Economic or Development Planning. The meeting is expected to lay the technical foundation for discussions by ministers and Heads of State.
On July 22, the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government will convene to deliberate on and adopt key decisions that will shape Africa’s health priorities, including a declaration aimed at accelerating the implementation of the African Union Roadmap to 2030 and the rollout of the Free Primary Health Care Programme.
The Presidency said Ghana’s hosting of the summit reflects President Mahama’s commitment to equitable healthcare delivery and the country’s determination to provide leadership on key health issues across Africa.
It highlighted a number of health sector reforms undertaken by the government, including the uncapping of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to expand access to essential healthcare services and the establishment of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as MahamaCares, to support Universal Health Coverage.
The statement added that the government is also investing in health infrastructure, workforce development, emergency preparedness and local pharmaceutical manufacturing to support efforts aimed at ending AIDS and tuberculosis while reducing maternal mortality.
An important side event of the summit will be a Call to Action on Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Survival, to be led by African Union Champion for Maternal and Child Health, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, in partnership with the Accra Reset initiative.
The Government of Ghana said it looks forward to welcoming Heads of State, delegates and stakeholders to Accra and reaffirmed its commitment to working with the African Union and member states to promote Universal Health Coverage and improve health outcomes across the continent.
The statement was signed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications.