Spotlight on Africa's health financing
ADDIS ABABA: Botswana, Rwanda, and Cape Verde are among a few countries that have met the 2001 Abuja Declaration, which commits African Union (AU) member states to allocate at least 15 percent of their national budgets to health.
Acting Deputy Director General for Africa CDC, Dr Raji Tajudeen highlighted that this is despite the urgency indicated by recent outbreaks and rising disease burdens.
He said this on Monday, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during the opening of the second media roundtable organised by the Africa CDC’s Communications and Public Information Directorate.
The three-day workshop started on Monday and ended on Wednesday.
Dr Tajudeen highlighted the financing shortfall as a defining challenge for Africa’s health future. He called for innovative financing mechanisms, including solidarity levies and leveraging diaspora remittances, to build self-reliant health systems and reduce dependence on external funding.
“Botswana, Rwanda, and Cape Verde stand out as exemplary models in fulfilling the Abuja commitment, having consistently allocated at least 15 percent of their national budgets to health,” Dr Tajudeen said.
Botswana and Rwanda have been recognised for their sustained investment in health infrastructure and epidemic preparedness, while Cape Verde’s commitment is notable given its smaller economy and geographic challenges.
Dr Tajudeen said these countries demonstrate the feasibility and impact of prioritising health financing and set benchmarks for others to follow.
The Abuja Declaration was originally adopted to accelerate access to health services, particularly for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, but its scope has expanded amid new health threats such as Mpox, Ebola, and Marburg virus outbreaks.
Africa CDC’s recent declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security indicates the ongoing need for robust health financing and coordinated response efforts. Over one million vaccine doses have been distributed continent-wide, coordinated by Africa CDC’s Incident Management Support Team and partners, including WHO and UNICEF, Dr Tajudeen added.
He lamented that despite these successes, Africa remains the epicentre of global outbreaks, with cases rising 40 per cent from 2022 to 2024.
This reality fuels Africa CDC’s push for stronger surveillance systems, local manufacturing of vaccines, and expanded pooled procurement mechanisms - all requiring sustained and increased financial commitments from governments, Dr Tajudeen added.
While Botswana, Rwanda, and Cape Verde have made commendable progress, the majority of African countries continue to fall short of the Abuja target. Many countries struggle with stagnating or declining health budgets, exacerbating inequalities in healthcare access and outcomes.
Africa CDC’s call to action includes urging member states to not only meet but exceed the Abuja target, supported by innovative funding strategies such as levies on airline tickets, alcohol, and mobile services.
The goal is to foster a resilient, locally owned continent-wide health system capable of responding swiftly to emerging threats.
As the continent grapples with complex health emergencies and the persistent challenge of misinformation, the role of media professionals is critical.
“This workshop aims at empowering journalists to communicate clearly and effectively, reinforcing public trust and supporting Africa CDC’s mission to safeguard the health of 1.4 billion people,” he said.
Another top priority is local manufacturing, as Africa currently produces less than one percent of its vaccines.
“This must change. In 2024, we saw meaningful progress. We now have 574 manufacturers, including 25 vaccine producers, and the number of Maturity Level 3 national regulatory authorities has doubled, from four to eight,” he said.
More than $3 billion has been secured to accelerate this growth. Partnerships with Afreximbank, UNECA, UNICEF, and PAHO are propelling us forward, and we are committed to ensuring that Africa owns its health,” Dr Tajudeen said.
According to Ministry of Health Spokesperson, Dr Christopher Nyanga, Botswana's continued high financing of its public health system is aligned to the Abuja Declaration on health which encourages African Union member states to allocate up to 15 percent of the National budgets to financing public health.
'Even the most recent national budget allocations show health as one of the top sectors that received the lion's share. This truly shows great political will and commitment to ensuring that all Batswana and residents of this country receive quality health services,' Dr Nyanga said.
He further added that Government believes that health is a human right and therefore, every Motswana should be able to access health services anytime, anywhere, regardless of who they are, or what their socio-economic status is.
'It is on this principle that the soon to be introduced National Health Insurance is anchored on. Ultimately, Government desires to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all the people of this country.'