Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has urged African nations to establish sustainable domestic health financing systems, emphasising the need to reduce reliance on foreign aid.
Speaking at a High-Level Meeting on Health Financing during the ongoing African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Mrs Tinubu highlighted that Africa’s economic growth and stability depend on a robust healthcare system that guarantees access to essential services.
The meeting, organised by Rwandan President Paul Kagame, gathered African leaders and global health stakeholders to address the challenges of financing healthcare on the continent.
Mrs Tinubu stressed that with growing funding shortfalls, particularly due to recent policy shifts in the United States, Africa must explore self-sustaining solutions.
“Africa cannot continue to rely solely on donor funding and foreign aid, which, although helpful, are often unpredictable and unsustainable. Instead, we must develop innovative financing strategies tailored to our unique challenges and circumstances,” she said.
She underscored the need for African governments to increase health sector funding in line with the Abuja Declaration, which recommends allocating at least 15% of national budgets to healthcare.
As the Global and National Stop TB Champion, Mrs Tinubu urged fellow First Ladies to leverage their platforms to mobilise resources from governments, the private sector, and donor agencies.
“We must also support innovative financing mechanisms and explore sustainable models, such as expanding health insurance coverage, health endowment funds, and investments from the African diaspora. Accountability and transparency must be ensured, as funds allocated to health must be used efficiently and effectively,” she added.
The meeting featured discussions among African heads of state from Rwanda, Ethiopia, Botswana, Kenya, Senegal, Zimbabwe, and Barbados, alongside donor agencies and funding partners.
They collectively agreed that Africa must prioritise local solutions to healthcare challenges, including investment in research, medical technology, skilled personnel, and, most importantly, sustainable funding.
