Former President John Dramani Mahama is calling for big changes in how the world handles global health. He spoke at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. Mahama believes world leaders and health groups must stop focusing only on talking. They need to take real actions that make healthcare better. This is especially important for poorer countries.
Mahama said the current global health system is not working well. It fails to help many people who need it most. He wants a new approach. This new way should be about working together fairly. It should also be about making changes that last. He presented three main points for these reforms.
First, Mahama said reforms must be more than just surface changes. He urged leaders not to fear looking at the basic rules and goals of global health organizations. "If we are to fix the system, we must be brave enough to look at institutional mandates and measures without fear," he stated.
Second, he stressed the importance of doing things, not just talking about them. "The world does not need more communiqués," he said. Instead, he wants to see more practical actions. This includes setting up local places to make medicines and improving ways to get supplies to where they are needed. These are called resilient supply chains. They help ensure medicines and equipment can reach people even when there are problems.
Third, and perhaps most importantly, Mahama wants success measured by what happens in clinics. The real test is whether a child in Africa has the same chance to live as a child in Europe or North America. He called this the Global South versus the Global North. He believes this is the only number that truly matters. The current health system was designed a long time ago. Mahama said it is now outdated.
He pointed out that many women and families in poorer countries still face weak healthcare. They often struggle with poor facilities. He described a mother delivering her baby with only a lamp for light. He used an African saying to explain the need for long-term thinking. "One who plants the tree does not always sit in its shade," he said. He urged leaders to make lasting changes that will benefit future generations. These reforms are for people we may never meet. Our actions today will provide them with shelter tomorrow.