President John Dramani Mahama will host African leaders in Accra for the African Union (AU) Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government on Universal Health Coverage from July 21 to 22, 2026.
The summit, to be held under the theme “Advancing Justice, Equity and Universal Health Coverage: Ending AIDS, TB, Improving Maternal Health, Addressing Endemic Non-Communicable and Neglected Tropical Diseases and Conditions in Africa,” is expected to bring together Heads of State and Government, Ministers of Health, Finance and Foreign Affairs, officials of the African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities, development partners, civil society organisations, youth representatives and private sector actors.
According to a statement issued by the Presidency Communications Office on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, the meeting aims to strengthen Africa’s health systems and accelerate the implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) across the continent.
The two-day summit will begin on July 21 with a Member State Experts Meeting involving senior officials from ministries responsible for health, finance and economic planning. The experts will lay the technical groundwork for deliberations by ministers and Heads of State.
On July 22, African leaders will convene to deliberate on key health priorities and are expected to adopt major decisions, including a declaration to accelerate the implementation of the African Union Roadmap to 2030.
The Presidency said Ghana’s hosting of the summit reflects President Mahama’s commitment to equitable healthcare delivery and the country’s determination to lead continental efforts to improve access to quality healthcare.
It highlighted several healthcare reforms undertaken by the government, including the rollout of the Free Primary Health Care Programme, the uncapping of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to expand access to essential healthcare services, and the establishment of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as MahamaCares, to support Universal Health Coverage.
The statement also noted that the government is investing in health infrastructure, workforce development, emergency preparedness and local pharmaceutical manufacturing in line with the objectives of the summit.
One of the key side events will be a Call to Action on Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Survival, to be led by the African Union Champion for Maternal and Child Health, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, in partnership with the Accra Reset initiative.
The government said the summit presents an important opportunity for African countries to strengthen collaboration towards achieving health equity and justice, while accelerating efforts to end AIDS and tuberculosis and reduce maternal mortality across the continent.
The statement concluded by extending Ghana’s welcome to Heads of State, delegates and stakeholders attending the summit and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to working with the African Union and its member states to advance Universal Health Coverage throughout Africa.
