Mahama to Address 79th World Health Assembly, Pushes ‘Health Sovereignty’ Agenda for the Global South

GENEVA — By Seth Yeboah

President John Dramani Mahama will deliver a keynote address today at the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, where global health leaders are meeting to set strategic priorities and approve the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) operational budget.

At the center of his address will be the Accra Reset Initiative, Mahama’s proposal to advance “health sovereignty” for the Global South. The President is expected to call on world leaders to reconsider the role of developing nations in the global health architecture, particularly in light of recent cuts to international donor funding.

He will argue that countries in the Global South must accelerate efforts to build self-reliant health systems capable of responding to their own public health needs and emergencies.

Alongside the keynote, Mahama will hold bilateral meetings and host an Accra Reset side event under the theme “Geneva Clarion Call.”The President was received on arrival by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Mrs. Nane Annan, wife of the late UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. He was also given a tour of the Kofi Annan Lounge at Geneva Airport, a memorial space dedicated by the Swiss government.

Ghana’s profile at the Assembly is set to be high, with over 80 invitations extended to the country’s side events. The sessions will spotlight Ghana’s recent advances in healthcare delivery, including Free Primary Health Care, the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, and the National Health Insurance Scheme.

The 79th WHA runs as the WHO’s highest decision-making body, bringing together member states to coordinate responses to global health challenges and set policy direction for the coming year.