By:
Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
World Health Organization’s Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, has
called for a fundamental shift in how health is positioned within national
budgets, urging African countries to treat it as a strategic investment rather
than a cost.
Speaking
at the High-Level Forum on Sustainable Health Financing, Janabi emphasized that
health continues to face funding challenges not because of a lack of
importance, but due to its classification as consumption instead of a driver of
economic growth and resilience.
He
noted that in many African countries, expenditure on debt servicing exceeds
investment in health, while households continue to shoulder significant
out-of-pocket costs, often impacting their livelihoods. With declining external
aid, he said, the need to strengthen domestic health financing has become
increasingly urgent.
Janabi
stressed that addressing the issue requires more than technical reforms,
calling for a shift in policy framing that aligns health spending with economic
priorities such as productivity, workforce development, risk mitigation, and
long-term cost savings.
He
also highlighted the importance of presenting clear and costed reform
strategies, improving public financial management systems, and strengthening
accountability to build confidence in how health resources are allocated and
utilized.
According
to Janabi, investing in health is essential to securing Africa’s economic
future, describing it as a foundational pillar for productivity, stability, and
inclusive development across the continent.
