
President John Dramani Mahama has sounded the alarm over Africa’s vulnerability to health crises, stressing the urgent need for stronger systems to prevent, detect, and respond to health threats.
Speaking on Tuesday, April 7, while co-chairing the High-Level segment of the One Health Summit in Lyon, President Mahama lamented the unequal distribution of resources across countries most at risk.
“It is regrettable that countries most at risk often have the least resources to respond, and this inequity must be addressed. A healthy and thriving Africa is a positive force for global progress,” he said.
He called for fair access to financing, technology, data, innovation, and research, while urging support for African nations to build resilient health systems.
“Despite frequent discussions, progress in building the necessary infrastructure has been slow. We must now muster the political will to integrate fragmented systems and ensure that this summit in Lyon becomes a turning point,” President Mahama added.
The summit brings together global leaders to discuss coordinated approaches to human, animal, and environmental health under the One Health framework, emphasising collaboration and equity in addressing health threats.



