African Leaders Call for Action to Safeguard Global Health Security
On the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, African Heads of State and Government hosted a high-level gathering alongside global leaders to spotlight the mounting risks threatening global health security systems.
Held under the banner “Uniting for Global Health Security,” the event brought together key networks, including the Global Leaders Network for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health—led by H.E. President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa—and the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), chaired by President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko of Botswana. The session was steered by the Rt Hon. Helen Clark, Chair of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and former Prime Minister of New Zealand.
As progress toward achieving the health-related Sustainable Development Goals slows, participants emphasized the need for immediate funding, robust alliances, and unified action to shield the most at-risk populations—especially women, children, and adolescents—from preventable illnesses like malaria.
“The fight against malaria is becoming increasingly complex,” said President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko. “Shrinking budgets, rising biological resistance, humanitarian crises, and the impact of climate change are all contributing towards creating a perfect storm of challenges,” he added.
Funding Declines Threaten Progress on Global Health Security
Health-focused official development assistance (ODA) has sharply declined in recent years. African leaders expressed serious concern that essential health programmes may collapse without swift and continuous investment. Between 2021 and 2025, ODA for health in Africa is projected to have dropped by around 70%, despite growing inequalities, conflict, and displacement intensifying needs across the continent.
H.E. President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted the consequences: “essential programmes to eliminate malaria have been compromised. This leaves millions without care and erodes decades of progress that has been made so far.”
A Successful Global Fund Replenishment Is Vital
Support was reaffirmed for the upcoming 8th replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which seeks to raise US$18 billion during its 2025 summit. Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has played a pivotal role in tackling these three diseases, credited with saving more than 70 million lives. Leaders agreed that the replenishment is essential to preserving achievements and advancing health goals amid intensifying challenges.
The ALMA chair offered a powerful appeal: “I call on all countries and donors to invest boldly in the Global Fund replenishment. If we all come together, we will save 23 million lives from malaria, AIDS and TB, while strengthening our health systems.”
Strengthening National Ownership, Innovative Resource Mobilisation and Local Manufacturing
While stressing the importance of international collaboration, African leaders made it clear that the continent must lead its own health agenda. As H.E. President William Ruto of the Republic of Kenya put it, “the future of Africa health financing lies in our own hands. Encouragingly, across the continent, change is already underway.”
New financing mechanisms such as national End Malaria Councils and Funds are driving local solutions. So far, 11 countries have mobilised over US$166 million through these platforms, showcasing the potential of inclusive, multi-sectoral collaboration.
Leaders also advocated for replicating past successes. They urged the World Bank to introduce a second Malaria Booster Programme, building on the earlier initiatives from 2005–2015 that significantly reduced cases and saved lives. This earlier programme, according to H.E. Muhammed B.S Jallow, vice president of the Republic of The Gambia, helped “reinforce local health systems, such as community health workers, and enhance data systems and surveillance.”
With the recent replenishment of IDA21, leaders see an opportunity to replicate and scale that impact. President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko echoed this call: “as ALMA, we are calling on the World Bank International Development Association to establish a second Malaria Booster Programme.”
Further supporting this drive toward autonomy, Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of GAVI, stated that “we strongly believe countries and not global health institutions should be at the centre of global health.” She spotlighted GAVI’s African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator, which she said “promotes African self-reliance in vaccine manufacturing.” Dr. Nishtar added that GAVI is “implementing the fastest vaccine rollout in Gavi’s 25-year history” through malaria vaccine distribution across 23 African nations, already showing a 13% reduction in all-cause child mortality in targeted areas.
The Need for Public-Private Partnerships to Deliver Sustainable Financing
Leaders proposed a new mechanism—a Public-Private Partnership Health Accelerator—to tackle declining external funding and stimulate long-term investment. President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko urged his peers to “think bigger and cast our net wider to mobilise even more resources to respond to the critical health challenges.”
The initiative is expected to boost progress toward universal health coverage by attracting private investment, philanthropic support, contributions from high-net-worth individuals, and engagement from the African diaspora—while also enhancing domestic commitment.
“We need a private-public partnership health accelerator that will drive whole-of-society progress towards the SDGs through sustainable high-value investments,” shared the ALMA chair.
This sentiment was echoed by the vice president of The Gambia, who noted these collaborations “can help us deliver sustainable financing at this critical moment and lead our continent to prosperity.”
The Big Push Against Malaria
Earlier this year, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) introduced a groundbreaking health financing strategy aimed at navigating the complex global funding environment. This strategy was further advanced during the September launch of the “Big Push” to End Malaria in Abuja, which firmly placed malaria eradication at the forefront of Africa’s health priorities.
During the UN General Assembly, African leaders reinforced the need to realign investment strategies to support malaria elimination and strengthen broader health systems. H.E Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa CDC, made a compelling case for transforming adversity into opportunity. He urged governments “to start to raise sustainable financing, to build our own data system owned by the continent, to start to manufacture our own vaccines, medicines, and to build strong surveillance system. Now Africa is leading the world.”
As countries take more control of their development trajectories, Professor Senait Fisseha—an advocate for sexual and reproductive health—urged leaders “to ensure it reflect our values, what we believe and is right, and is needed for our people” so that “we can create a continent in which every woman, every girl, every child can live to her fullest potential.”
Concluding with a call for unity and resilience, H.E. President William Ruto of Kenya said: “Together, let us rise to this moment. Let us prove that resilient health systems are the cornerstone of dignity, security and prosperity.” His words echoed those of ALMA chair, President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko, who affirmed, “we can make malaria elimination a reality. We can deliver a healthy tomorrow for women, babies, children and adolescents. The time to start is now.”
