A renewed call for sovereign, country-led global health reform took centre stage in Geneva as Heads of State, health ministers and global health leaders gathered during the 79th World Health Assembly to discuss the future of global health governance and financing.
The high-level dialogue, themed “Geneva Clarion Call: Rethinking Power, Financing and Global Health Delivery,” was organised under the Accra Reset initiative and attracted over 250 participants, including representatives of multilateral institutions, philanthropic organisations and health experts.
The Accra Reset, launched by Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama during the 2025 United Nations General Assembly, seeks to promote a new global health framework built on sovereignty, domestic capacity, sustainable financing and regional collaboration.
Speaking at the event, President Mahama announced the next phase of the initiative through the High-Level Panel on Global Health Architecture and Governance, alongside two new pillars the Reform Observatory (RIO) and the HINGE investment mechanism.
“If the Accra Reset can move health commitments into working programmes, it can do so for any sector,” he said.
Health ministers from Indonesia, Brazil, Kenya and Ghana stressed the importance of domestic financing, stronger national systems and regional manufacturing in reducing dependence on external support.
Brazil’s Health Minister, Alexandre Padilha, said countries of the Global South must play a central role in shaping global health decisions, while Kenya’s Health Minister, Aden Duale, highlighted efforts to mobilise domestic resources for universal health coverage.
Nigeria’s Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority, Kelechi Ohiri, said Nigeria had begun integrating HIV, tuberculosis and malaria programmes into broader health insurance systems through collaboration with global partners.
Leaders of major global health institutions, including The Global Fund and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, also pledged support for reforms that strengthen country ownership and sustainable healthcare systems.
The dialogue ended with a call for global health reforms that align financing and governance with national priorities rather than fragmented donor-driven programmes.
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