President Samia Suluhu Hassan has called on African countries to reduce their dependence on external health financing by increasing domestic investment and building resilient health systems capable of meeting the continent's healthcare needs.
Addressing the African Union (AU) Special Summit of Heads of State and Government on Health in Accra on Wednesday, July 22, the President said Africa possesses the expertise, human resources and potential to transform its health sector, but stronger political commitment and sustained local investment are essential.
The summit reviewed progress on Africa's health agenda, focusing on universal health coverage, equitable access to healthcare, HIV/AIDS elimination, maternal and child health, and the growing burden of non-communicable and neglected tropical diseases.
President Samia said Tanzania has aligned the AU Health Strategy 2030 with its 2026/27-2030/31 National Development Plan, prioritising investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing, stronger health systems and greater self-sufficiency in healthcare services.
"Africa has the knowledge, human resources and the capacity to transform its health systems. What we need now is stronger political will, increased domestic investment and continental solidarity," she said.
She said policy and regulatory reforms introduced in Tanzania have improved the investment climate, resulting in the establishment of 13 pharmaceutical manufacturing plants, while 149 investors have expressed interest in investing in the sector.
The President also highlighted progress in medicines regulation, noting that the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA) became the first regulatory authority in Africa to attain Maturity Level Three, a benchmark expected to strengthen local production of quality medicines and reduce reliance on imports.
President Samia said government spending on health has increased from TZS 1.8 trillion in the 2024/25 financial year to TZS 3.1 trillion in 2026/27. She added that the rollout of universal health insurance is intended to expand access to affordable healthcare, particularly for low-income households.
The increased investment, she said, has supported the construction of 119 district hospitals, 649 health centres and more than 2,700 dispensaries, raising the number of healthcare facilities nationwide from about 10,000 to 13,700 by March 2026.
According to the President, the expansion of health infrastructure has contributed to an increase in deliveries taking place at health facilities from 65 per cent to 86 per cent, while births attended by skilled health workers have risen from 66 per cent to 85 per cent.
She added that Tanzania has also recorded significant improvements in health outcomes, with under-five mortality falling from 147 to 43 deaths per 1,000 live births, and maternal mortality declining from 556 to 104 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Opening the summit, Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama said shrinking global health financing should encourage African countries to strengthen domestic resource mobilisation and develop more sustainable health systems.
Mahama also pledged support for President Samia in her role as the African Union Champion for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health.
African Union Chairperson and Burundi President Évariste Ndayishimiye urged member states to increase investment in primary healthcare and strengthen Africa's capacity to prevent, detect and respond to disease outbreaks.
World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the summit's resolutions must be matched by implementation, while African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf called for accelerated development of Africa's pharmaceutical manufacturing and medical supply chains to improve access to medicines, vaccines and medical equipment across the continent.
