President John Dramani Mahama has called for stronger, responsive, and collaborative health regulation across Africa to safeguard patients and reinforce public confidence in healthcare systems.
Speaking at the opening of the 28th Annual International Conference of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa in Accra, President Mahama said universal health coverage must extend beyond access to care to encompass safety, quality, ethics, and accountability.
He highlighted emerging challenges confronting regulators, including the rapid growth of digital health and artificial intelligence, the migration of health professionals, forged qualifications, humanitarian crises, and the rising threat of misinformation.
President Mahama urged African regulators to strengthen cross‑border cooperation, verify professional credentials, secure health data, and develop frameworks for regulating digital health and AI. He stressed that artificial intelligence must support — not replace — professional judgement and human responsibility.
On Ghana’s health agenda, the President noted that the National Health Insurance Scheme currently covers about 76 per cent of the population, with government targeting 90 per cent coverage. He also pointed to the rollout of the Free Primary Healthcare Programme in about 160 districts and efforts to expand local pharmaceutical production.
Declaring the conference officially open, President Mahama urged African countries to work together to build health systems that are African in ownership, global in quality, and uncompromising in protecting the public.
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