President William Ruto highlighted the urgent need for Africa to achieve self-reliance in its healthcare sector during the launch of the Program for Investment and Financing in Africa’s Health (PIFAH) initiative.
At the Summit of the Future in New York, Ruto emphasized Africa's crucial role in addressing global challenges, particularly during crises like the recent pandemic.
In his address, Ruto stressed the importance of reducing dependency on foreign aid, especially in essential areas such as healthcare. He called for developing innovative, homegrown financing models to address Africa’s health, food security, and social sector challenges.
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He says the continent's population's health and youth's future depend on it.
Ruto criticized traditional multilateral funding systems, describing them as outdated and ineffective. He urged African leaders to abandon these approaches and focus on creating new paths for development that empower the continent to meet its own needs.
As the African Union’s Champion for Institutional Reform, Ruto committed to attracting investments in vital social sectors, particularly healthcare.
He outlined partnerships for developing AI-powered Digital Health Wallets for Africans and bolstering local biopharmaceutical research and manufacturing of medicines, vaccines, and medical devices.
He emphasized that these initiatives would only succeed through innovative funding strategies and access to capital for building critical health infrastructure. Ruto also commended AUDA-NEPAD for spearheading the PIFAH initiative and expressed confidence that it would unlock significant private-sector resources.
Ruto concluded by expressing his strong support for PIFAH and encouraging other African leaders to join in transforming the healthcare landscape.
