Africa health funding is reaching a turning point as donors cut support by 70% since 2021.
Consequently, African governments face rising outbreaks, budget gaps, and global uncertainty, forcing urgent self-reliance.
Therefore, under Africa CDC leadership, countries are shaping the Health Security and Sovereignty (AHSS) agenda to reduce aid dependency.
Director of Africa CDC, Dr Jean Kaseya calls AHSS the continent’s strongest response to post-pandemic global health financing decline.
Meanwhile, outbreaks rose 41% between 2022 and 2024, while climate pressures continue increasing health risks.
Kaseya warned Africa cannot rely on last-minute aid during epidemics, risking decades of progress.
Taking Control Of Health Budgets
Accordingly, AHSS pushes African countries to take control of health budgets and fund predictable domestic solutions.
Countries will use innovative financing, including health taxes, solidarity levies, diaspora bonds, and blended finance models.
Furthermore, the agenda follows the Lusaka Agenda, encouraging governments to improve public financial management and increase spending.
Africa CDC aims for countries to contribute 50% of health-security financing, reducing household burdens.
However, governance problems persist, including procurement fraud, ghost workers, weak digital systems, and fragmented planning.
To address these issues, Africa CDC deploys finance specialists to help countries reform budgets, track spending, and improve accountability.
Africa Health
Additionally, AHSS introduces a permanent pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response system across the continent.
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The Incident Management Support Team (IMST) unites labs, surveillance, and emergency responders continuously.
IMST proved effective during mpox, cholera, and Marburg outbreaks, while the Africa Epidemics Fund supports immediate response.
The fund provides rapid financing without requiring donor conditions or delays.
Moreover, Africa CDC stresses early detection and rapid response to prevent outbreaks from spreading regionally or globally.
Africa prioritises local manufacturing to reduce dependency on imported medical supplies.
The agenda sets a goal for 60% of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics to be produced locally by 2040.
Partners such as the African Medicines Agency, African Pooled Procurement Mechanism, Afreximbank, and African Development Bank support this effort.
Digital initiatives include creating a Primary Healthcare Digital Intelligence Ecosystem and a Digital Birth-to-Care Card.
Furthermore, Starlink will connect remote facilities, improving data accuracy, service delivery, and health data sovereignty.
Investing In Local Systems
Nonetheless, countries face challenges: low budgets, workforce shortages, misinformation, and intellectual property limits for local manufacturing.
Kaseya emphasises that political will and continental unity can overcome these barriers successfully.
He insists Africa’s vision is leadership-driven, while global partners support, not dictate, continental health priorities.
As donor funds shrink and outbreaks rise, African countries must fund their own health systems.
By investing in local systems now, Africa will strengthen resilience and protect millions of lives in the future.
