ACCRA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has pledged support for Africa's efforts to strengthen health systems amid growing health challenges across the continent.
Speaking at the 25th Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly, which concluded Wednesday in Accra, Ghana, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it is essential to harness available scientific advances to build health systems that protect the most vulnerable while ensuring shared accountability.
Tedros said that treating diseases alone is insufficient, urging countries to address underlying drivers of health crises, including conflict, poverty, poor education, unsafe water and gender inequality.
"The WHO stands with you as a partner, providing technical guidance and support. But only Africa's leaders can deliver the political will and domestic investment this moment requires," he added, urging leaders to remain committed to their roadmap for improving health security.
Tedros also highlighted the impact of conflict on healthcare delivery, citing the Ebola outbreak in the Ituri Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where ongoing armed violence has hampered contact tracing efforts and forced health workers to leave affected communities.
Winnie Byanyima, executive director of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, representing the UN Secretary-General, said the 2026 UN Political Declaration on Ending AIDS by 2030 provides a platform to accelerate efforts to end AIDS and strengthen preparedness for future pandemics.
She said that addressing inequalities, particularly gaps in sustainable financing, is critical to ending the AIDS pandemic.
The extraordinary session brought together African heads of state and government, health ministers, experts, policymakers and development partners to advance the continent's health agenda, with a focus on ending AIDS and tuberculosis by 2030 while strengthening preparedness for future health emergencies. ■