President William Ruto has issued a strong call for a comprehensive transformation of Africa’s health systems, urging governments and stakeholders across the continent to embrace innovation, integration, and self-reliance to improve healthcare outcomes.

In his remarks during the World Health Summit Regional Meeting in Nairobi on Monday, April 27, 2026, Ruto pointed to a glaring disparity that hampers development on the continent. While Africa bears more than 25 per cent of the global disease burden, it receives less than 3 per cent of the world’s health expenditure. Worryingly, Africa also manufactures less than 2 per cent of the medications it uses, revealing a significant dependency on imports for essential medicines.

“And I dare say that we are very strong believers in multilateralism and collective action. This summit is anchored on a clear and urgent imperative. It calls on us to reimagine Africa’s health system through innovation, integration and interdependence,” Ruto said.

The president emphasised that the imbalances highlight the need for a shift from piecemeal and reactive responses to a more holistic approach. He urged African governments to overhaul their health strategies to focus on long-term investment, institutional capacity-building and accountability.

Need for sustainable health funding

Ruto stressed the importance of sustainable funding. Without sustainable financing, he said, progress in healthcare delivery will be sporadic and inadequate. He also stressed the need for better governance to ensure efficient and accountable resource allocation.

Innovation, he said, will be key to transforming African health systems. Ruto encouraged nations to embrace digital health technologies and to prioritise local production of medicines to foster self-sufficiency and resilience.

The president’s comments come as many African countries are facing the double burden of infectious and chronic diseases, coupled with new health challenges. His challenge is a call to action for a more integrated and sustainable health ecosystem, one that can better address current and future challenges.

Looking forward, Ruto’s call is a wake-up call for Africa: to achieve health goals, the continent must embrace changes, work together and prioritise resilient and inclusive health systems.