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Olusegun Obasanjo calls on African leaders to establish a health fund for health security
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on African leaders to establish a dedicated health fund to boost the continent’s health security and reduce reliance on foreign aid.
He made the call at the African Health Sovereignty Summit held in Accra, where he urged African governments to take bold steps to solve their health challenges without waiting for external help.
He commended leaders like Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama, and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame for championing health reforms across the continent.
He acknowledged former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown for his continued support.
Mr. Obasanjo stressed that while the road ahead was difficult, Africa had survived major health crises before, including Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and COVID-19, and now was imperative to shift focus from surviving emergencies to building lasting solutions.
He called for greater use of traditional medicine at the community level, noting that a significant number of pharmaceutical drugs are derived from herbs.
He said many of the herbs found in African villages remain underutilized despite their medicinal value.
At the national level, he encouraged countries to expand health insurance coverage and allocate a portion of these funds to strengthen health infrastructure and systems.
On a continental scale, he proposed the creation of an Africa Health Fund, modeled after the African Union’s Peace Fund.
He referenced how the AU was able to release $1 million swiftly for mediation efforts in the DR Congo and Rwanda, without waiting for donor support.
As part of funding ideas, he suggested a small levy on international flights entering or leaving Africa, to support the fund.
Mr. Obasanjo emphasised that Africa did not need charity but fair partnerships.
He urged leaders to pursue a future where Africa achieves “health without aid” through strong collaboration, unity, and African-led strategies.
The African Health Sovereignty Summit, held on August 5 in Accra, brought together heads of state, policymakers, and global health actors to push for reforms in global health governance and promote stronger, self-sustaining health systems on the continent.
Key outcomes include the endorsement of The Accra Initiative and a collective call for African ownership of public health priorities.
By: Jacob Aggrey
President John Dramani Mahama has clarified that the proposed free primary healthcare policy is designed to support the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), not to take its place.
He explained that the initiative will work alongside the NHIS to improve access to basic healthcare services across the country.
He made the remarks at the official launch of the free primary healthcare programme held on Wednesday April, 15th 2026 at the Shai Osudoku District Hospital in Dodowa.
According to him, the introduction of free primary healthcare does not mean Ghanaians should stop registering for the NHIS.
He urged citizens to continue obtaining their NHIS cards, stressing that the scheme remains important for healthcare delivery beyond the primary level.
He further explained that under the new arrangement, patients seeking care at polyclinics, health centres, CHPS compounds, and health kiosks will not be required to present an NHIS card at the point of examination and treatment.
Instead, individuals will only need to show a Ghana Card or any valid form of identification to prove they are Ghanaians and residents within the community to access services.
He noted that the policy aims to remove barriers to basic healthcare and ensure that more people can receive treatment at the primary level without difficulty.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Ghana Police Service has arrested three (3) suspects in connection with a case of possession of narcotic drugs and engaging in prohibited drug-related activities within the Accra metropolis.
On April 10, 2026, the Special Operations Assistant to the Inspector General of Police received intelligence that a group of individuals were planning to engage in the sale of suspected narcotic drugs at Dzorwulu in Accra.
A surveillance operation was mounted and on 11th April 2026, a Police team proceeded to the area and arrested two suspects, Bright Ayivor and Ifeanyi Ijeoba.
The suspects were found in possession of twenty-two (22) compressed substances suspected to be cocaine, which were being prepared for sale to a prospective buyer.
Further interrogation of the suspects led to the identification of a third suspect, Kwabena Botwe as a key figure in the drug trade.
A follow-up operation at Caprice resulted in his arrest after Police mounted surveillance during a planned transaction involving proceeds from the sale of the suspected drugs.
The suspect later led Police to his residence at Greda Estates, where a search resulted in the retrieval of an amount of GHc400,000 and a counting machine.
According to the police, during the operation, he attempted to bribe the arresting officers with an additional GHc420,000, which has been retained as evidence.
All the suspects are currently in Police custody assisting investigations and will be put before the court.
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