Tanzania calls on African nations to strengthen their representation in GHA reforms

ADDIS ABABA: TANZANIA has called on African countries to maintain a common position, strong leadership and effective representation in global health discussions and decision-making processes to ensure the continent’s interests and priorities are taken into account in reforms of the Global Health Architecture (GHA).

The call was made by Deputy Minister for Health, Dr Florence Samizi, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where she represented Minister for Health Mohamed Mchengerwa at the African High-Level Ministerial Committee meeting ahead of the 76th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa (WHO AFRO RC76).

Dr Samizi said Tanzania fully supports the GHA reform process and commended the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) for being designated as a regional health institution in the process.

She said the development provides Africa with an opportunity to play a meaningful role in shaping the direction of the global health system and ensuring that the continent’s challenges and needs receive due consideration.

“As a country, Tanzania fully supports the GHA reform process and commends Africa CDC for being designated as a regional health institution in this process, a step that provides Africa with an opportunity to actively participate in determining the direction of the global health system,” Dr Samizi said.

Speaking on the importance of the reforms to citizens, Dr Samizi said the global health system should reflect the actual needs of individual countries, including access to health financing and technology, as well as the capacity to respond to disease outbreaks.

ALSO READ: AGRA urges global leaders to treat hunger as a systemic global risk  

She said the world is currently facing a range of challenges related to health financing, geopolitical and political changes, as well as negotiations on an international agreement to address disease outbreaks, pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS).

“The world is currently facing challenges related to access to health financing, geopolitical and political changes, as well as discussions on an international agreement to address disease outbreaks, pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS),” she said.

Dr Samizi further said the reformed global health system should establish a clear division of responsibilities among international, regional and national institutions to reduce duplication of roles and ensure financial resources are directed towards priorities identified by individual countries.

On the next steps, she urged member states to actively participate in monthly consultations on the GHA reforms, stressing the importance of Africa maintaining a coordinated position throughout the process.

She also proposed that Africa CDC, in collaboration with WHO AFRO, convene African health ministers by November 2026 after completion of the first draft of the “GHA Joint Task Force” report.

The meeting, she said, would provide health ministers with an opportunity to review the recommendations and provide political guidance on Africa’s position and direction in the reform of the global health system.