President William Samoei Ruto has called for urgent global health reforms, warning that African countries remain vulnerable during crises due to weak systems, funding gaps, and delayed access to lifesaving medicines.

In a statement shared on X on Sunday, February 15, 2026, by the Ministry of Health, the statement reflects growing concern over preparedness and fairness in global health decisions that affect millions across the continent.

The statement stressed the need for major changes in how global health systems operate so African countries are better protected and treated fairly.

“President William Samoei Ruto has called for comprehensive reforms to the global health architecture to promote equity, strengthen preparedness and build resilient health systems, particularly for African countries,” the statement reads.

The Ministry explained that the President’s remarks were presented at a continental forum, highlighting lessons learned from the COVID-19 crisis and Africa’s position in global health cooperation.

“The statement, delivered on his behalf by Principal Secretary for Medical Services Ouma Oluga during a high-level African Union side event on multilateral health cooperation, underscored that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed structural inequities, including delayed vaccine access across the continent,” the statement reads.

The communication also pointed to financial challenges facing African governments, saying many struggle to respond to emergencies due to limited and unpredictable health funding.

“The President urged reforms to global financing mechanisms to ensure timely, affordable and predictable resources for pandemic preparedness and response, noting that growing debt vulnerabilities continue to limit fiscal space for health investments in many African countries,” the statement reads.

The government further highlighted Kenya’s ongoing efforts to expand access to healthcare, saying millions are already covered under national health programmes.

“He reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage, highlighting that more than 29 million Kenyans have been enrolled under the Social Health Insurance framework, with the most vulnerable populations fully subsidised by the Government,” the statement reads.

The statement also underscored the importance of Africa producing its own medicines and vaccines while investing in research and stronger cooperation among countries.

“President Ruto further emphasised the importance of a One Health approach, accelerated local pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing, and strengthened collaborative research across Africa, supported by institutions such as the Kenya National Public Health Institute and the Kenya BioVax Institute,” the statement reads.

Finally, the President urged African nations to work together and build a united system that can respond quickly to future outbreaks and health emergencies.

“He called on African nations to transition from fragmented and reactive health systems to a coordinated, South-led global health architecture anchored on shared sovereignty, sustainable domestic financing and innovative continental funding mechanisms,” the statement concludes.