President John Dramani Mahama has called for greater investment in specialised healthcare facilities across Africa to reduce the amount of money leaving the continent through medical tourism. He made the statement at the Health Plenary of the Alamein Africa Forum in Egypt. President Mahama cited the need to retain financial resources, medical expertise, and public confidence on the continent. He mentioned that developing high-end medical facilities within Africa would help achieve this goal.
President Mahama cited Nigeria’s African Medical Center of Excellence in Abuja as an example of efforts to address outbound medical tourism. The facility was pioneered by Afreximbank and King’s College Hospital. He said it seeks to tackle the estimated US$6 billion lost every year through medical tourism. President Mahama argued that Africa should focus not only on primary healthcare and basic medicines but also build the capacity to provide specialised and advanced medical services locally.
According to President Mahama, retaining patients who would otherwise travel abroad for treatment could generate significant economic benefits while strengthening domestic health systems. He said investment in specialised healthcare could create opportunities for highly trained African doctors, nurses, scientists, and other healthcare professionals to work on the continent. This, he believes, would help retain skills, wealth, and consumer confidence.
President Mahama linked medical tourism to the broader objective of health sovereignty. He said Africa must develop the infrastructure and expertise needed to meet the healthcare needs of its growing population. President Mahama pointed to Egypt’s experience in combating hepatitis C as evidence that African countries can develop effective domestic solutions to major health challenges.
Egypt negotiated technology transfer and developed local pharmaceutical production capacity, enabling it to treat millions of citizens locally. President Mahama said such experiences demonstrated the importance of investing in domestic health industries rather than relying exclusively on imported products and foreign treatment centres. He cited Ghana’s expansion of the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Free Primary Healthcare Programme, and the Ghana Medical Trust as examples of efforts to strengthen domestic health systems.
President Mahama said Ghana is strengthening institutions, including the Food and Drugs Authority and the National Vaccine Institute, to support domestic health production. He called for greater private-sector investment in healthcare infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, and specialised medical services to help build an integrated African health economy. This, he believes, would help address the healthcare needs of the continent.
President Mahama’s call for greater investment in specialised healthcare facilities across Africa comes as the continent seeks to address its healthcare challenges. He emphasized the need for African countries to develop the infrastructure and expertise needed to meet the healthcare needs of their growing populations. By investing in domestic health industries, African countries can reduce medical tourism and strengthen their health systems.
Key points
- President Mahama estimates that Africa loses US$6 billion annually through medical tourism.
- President Mahama cites Egypt’s experience in combating hepatitis C as evidence of Africa’s ability to develop effective domestic solutions to major health challenges.
- President Mahama calls for greater private-sector investment in healthcare infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, and specialised medical services.
