Gatete described the situation as a critical turning point, calling for large scale reforms focused on integration, efficiency and innovative financing….reports Newsdesk
Claver Gatete, Under Secretary General of the United Nations and head of the Economic Commission for Africa, has warned that African countries must urgently reform how they finance healthcare as foreign aid declines and rising debt limits public spending.
Speaking in Tangier on Wednesday at a high level forum on sustainable health financing during the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, he said the continent could no longer rely on aid as a primary funding source and must shift towards stronger domestic solutions.
Africa spent about 145 billion dollars on health in 2022, with less than half coming from public funds. The remaining costs were largely covered by donors and households, increasing financial strain on families and widening inequality in access to care. At the same time, public debt across the continent has reached around 63 per cent of GDP, with some countries allocating more resources to debt servicing than to healthcare.
Gatete described the situation as a critical turning point, calling for large scale reforms focused on integration, efficiency and innovative financing. He highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area as a key platform to strengthen health systems, noting that Africa still imports more than 70 per cent of its pharmaceuticals, leaving it exposed to global supply disruptions.
He pointed to growing pharmaceutical production in countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Rwanda and South Africa, but stressed the need for coordinated, continent wide systems to achieve sustainability.
Among key priorities, Gatete outlined stronger domestic resource mobilisation, improved tax systems and reduced financial leakages. He also emphasised innovative financing tools, expanded health insurance coverage, and greater private sector involvement.
He underscored the importance of investing in healthcare workers, infrastructure and digital technologies, warning that preparedness remains essential following recent disease outbreaks.
Gatete also launched the Invest in Health Africa campaign, urging governments to treat healthcare as a driver of economic growth rather than a cost.
