Ghana Reframes Health as Economic Engine, Mahama Calls for Systemic Investment

President of the Republic of Ghana H.E John Dramani, has challenged traditional economic thinking by positioning health as a critical driver of national productivity and growth.

President Mahama emphasized the importance of investing in health to create jobs, reduce inequalities, and uphold the dignity of every Ghanaian, argues that health is not a drain on the economy but rather a driver of productivity and inclusive growth.

“We are not merely reacting to emergencies. We are building systems that create jobs, reduce inequalities and uphold the dignity of every Ghanaian,” the speaker emphasized, highlighting a transformative approach to national health strategy.

Citing World Health Organization data, the President Mahama revealed a compelling economic argument: “For every $1 invested in Health Resilience, it yields up to $4 in returns.” This return is particularly significant in Africa’s context, with its young, dynamic population.

The President’s statement underscored the broader economic implications of health investments. “Every malaria case that is prevented is a day of work that you have regained. Every maternal death that is avoided is a family that continues to remain stable. Every vaccinated child is a future you have secured for your nation.”

President Mahama made this assertions in Accra during the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit held today Monday August 5, 2025.

Critically, President Mahama called on financial leaders to revolutionize how health is perceived: treating it as a capital investment rather than a consumption expense, and encouraging sovereign wealth funds to prioritize biotech and healthcare infrastructure.

The strategy signals a potential paradigm shift in national economic planning, positioning health not as a cost center, but as a fundamental productivity multiplier.

“We must therefore urge our ministers of finance, and I’m sad our Minister of Finance is not here, to treat health as a capital investment, to encourage sovereign wealth funds to allocate resources to biotech, to diagnosis and resilient infrastructure, to call on economists to revise national accounts to reflect Health as productivity multiplier and not a consumption expense.” President Mahama stated.