President John Dramani Mahama has called for stronger collaboration among African health regulators to safeguard patients and strengthen public confidence in healthcare systems.
According to a statement issued by the Jubilee House, President Mahama made the call when he addressed the 28th Annual International Conference of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa (AMCOA) in Accra.
The President said universal health coverage must go beyond access to healthcare to include safety, quality, ethics and accountability.
He identified the rapid growth of digital health and artificial intelligence (AI), migration of health professionals, forged qualifications, humanitarian crises and the spread of misinformation as emerging challenges requiring stronger regulatory cooperation among African countries.
President Mahama urged health regulators across the continent to strengthen cross-border cooperation, particularly in verifying professional credentials and safeguarding health data.
He also called for appropriate regulatory frameworks for digital health and AI, stressing that the technology should support, rather than replace, professional judgement and human responsibility.
On Ghana’s health sector, the President said the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) currently covered about 76 per cent of the population, with government targeting 90 per cent coverage.
He also said the government had begun rolling out the Free Primary Healthcare Programme in about 160 districts, while efforts were underway to expand local pharmaceutical production.
President Mahama urged African countries to work together to build health systems that were African-owned, globally competitive and committed to protecting the public.
He subsequently declared the 28th Annual International Conference of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa officially open.
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