Central Africa’s Health Leaders Call for a New Era of Sovereignty and Sustainable Systems
As international health financing plateaus and competing global crises stretch donor budgets thin, countries in Central Africa are taking bold steps to reclaim control of their health systems. Meeting in Bangui, leaders from six countries signaled a decisive shift: the future of public health in the region must be nationally led, transparently governed, and financially sustainable.
For years, many national health programmes in the region have relied on external agencies to manage large donor grants, an arrangement designed to protect funds in fragile contexts but one that has also unintentionally weakened national systems. The message from Bangui was clear: these arrangements must evolve.
A Turning Point for National Leadership
Across the region, promising reforms have begun to take shape.
- Chad has restructured its national health project unit into a home-grown management body capable of handling major investments.
- The Central African Republic has established new governance mechanisms to strengthen oversight and rebuild public trust.
- Gabon is investing more domestic resources into health than it receives from partners, an important marker of sovereignty.
- Countries like Côte d’Ivoire and Togo have already transitioned away from internationally managed systems, demonstrating that national institutions can meet high standards when given the opportunity and support.
These examples represent more than administrative reforms, they are signals of a growing regional consensus: African governments must be at the center of their health responses.
Financing Is the Foundation
A consistent theme from the discussions was the urgent need to increase domestic investment in health. Many countries still depend heavily on external funding for essential services such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and primary care.
But with donor resources under pressure, countries are realizing that relying on external support alone is no longer viable. Leaders emphasized three priorities:
- Boost national health budgets to close critical gaps.
- Streamline customs and tax procedures that currently delay essential medicines and equipment.
- Improve coordination across ministries, especially health, finance and customs, to avoid bottlenecks that cost both money and lives.
Chad’s rapid improvements in import clearance, cutting customs delays from months to weeks, were highlighted as a regional best practice.
Strengthening Accountability and Trust
Beyond financing, countries stressed the importance of stronger governance, clearer accountability, and better use of national systems. Many leaders noted that communities lose confidence when health programmes are run by external actors rather than national institutions.
Civil society organizations, a vital part of the response in all countries—called for more meaningful engagement and more predictable funding to ensure communities remain at the heart of public health work.
A Regional Movement Takes Shape
The Bangui meeting marked a significant step toward a shared regional approach. Participants agreed that ongoing peer learning where countries openly share what is working and what is not, is essential for accelerating progress.
The African Constituency Bureau, which convened the meeting, was encouraged to strengthen this regional platform, arguing that African-led solutions must guide the next decade of global health collaboration.
The Path Forward
Taken together, the discussions in Bangui reflect a broader trend across the continent: a growing determination to build resilient, sovereign health systems capable of sustaining progress even in uncertain times.
The region’s leaders were united around one message:
Health sovereignty is not only about funding—it is about leadership, trust, accountability and the ability of nations to shape their own future.
As global health conversations increasingly focus on equity and sustainability, Central Africa’s shift towards nationally led systems offers an important reminder: lasting health gains are achieved when countries are in the driver’s seat.