President John Dramani Mahama opened the 28th Annual Conference of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa (AMCOA) in Accra on Monday, calling on African nations to take charge of and protect their own healthcare systems. The five-day conference, themed “Responsive Regulation for Safer Communities Towards Universal Health Coverage,” aims to address the critical role of effective and adaptive healthcare regulation in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) across Africa.
President Calls for Stronger Regulatory Harmonisation
The President said investments in Artificial Intelligence and modern technology must guide new standards for online medical consultations, adding that strong medical regulations were necessary to keep patients safe and maintain high professional standards. He offered seven points of reflection for the Conference, saying they must first strengthen regulatory harmonisation through deeper cooperation, reliable verification, and appropriate recognition of qualifications without lowering standards.
Key Points for Strengthening Regulatory Science
President Mahama said the Conference must invest in regulatory science to ensure decisions are informed by evidence and that regulators have the skills to respond to new technologies, changing workforce patterns, and emerging risks. He also called for the development of practical frameworks for humanitarian and fragile settings, enabling rapid emergency response while preserving standards and accountability during times of crisis.
Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence Need Urgent Regulation
The President noted that regulating digital health and Artificial Intelligence with urgency, wisdom, and a clear commitment to equity is crucial. He said the true measure of a regulator was not how many licenses it issued, but how effectively it protects people and patients. He emphasized that Universal health coverage cannot exist without universal health confidence, and that citizens must know that healthcare professionals are competent, ethical, and accountable.
Minister of Health Outlines Government's Healthcare Plans
Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister of Health, said the Government of President John Dramani Mahama is expanding Ghana's continuum of care, from Free Primary Healthcare, which focuses on the prevention of diseases and the provision of essential services, to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, which supports specialised and high-cost care for chronic conditions.
Experts Call for Increased Domestic Health Spending
Dr Anarfi-Asamoah Baah, a former Deputy Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), who delivered the keynote address, reiterated that the time has come for African countries to increase domestic health spending to safeguard their people's health. Prof Joel Okullo, the President of AMCOA and the Chairman of the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council, said health regulation must be recognised as a central pillar for universal health coverage.
A New Phase in African Health Professional Regulation
President Mahama asked the Conference to produce practical outcomes, stronger collaborations, implementable policy recommendations, capacity-building plans, improved information sharing, and a renewed continental commitment to high standards. He called for a new phase in African health professional regulation, one in which regulators embrace not only their national mandates but also a shared continental responsibility. The President concluded by saying that patient safety has no borders, and that every African deserves safe, ethical, and quality healthcare wherever that care is received.
Source: Joy Online
