On Wednesday, June 25, President John Dramani Mahama held a strategic meeting with American philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in Brussels, ahead of the Gavi Vaccine Alliance pledging session.
In a Facebook post following the meeting, President Mahama shared that their discussion focused on Ghana’s critical interventions in the health sector, including:
- The progress of the Free Primary Healthcare Programme
- Ongoing work at the National Vaccine Institute
- The impact of uncapping the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIS) to enhance healthcare access and financing
President Mahama praised the Gates Foundation for its consistent support and significant philanthropic contributions to Ghana’s health initiatives, particularly its work with the Gavi Alliance.
“I also met with the Gavi Board Chair, José Manuel Barroso, who thanked me for my continued support for Gavi’s vaccine funding efforts,” Mahama added, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation and long-term investment in health systems.
President Mahama underscored the importance of the Gavi replenishment session, noting that the organization seeks to raise $9 billion between 2026 and 2030. These funds are projected to help immunize 500 million children globally, potentially saving millions of lives.
He drew a compelling comparison to military spending, stating:
“One B-2 Spirit bomber costs $2.13 billion. Gavi is asking for the equivalent of four of them—to save half a billion children. That’s a choice between taking lives and saving lives.”
President Mahama’s participation in the Gavi summit and his continued advocacy reflect Ghana’s commitment to universal health coverage and global health equity. He stressed that supporting organizations like Gavi is not just an act of charity but a strategic investment in human capital development.
As the pledging session unfolds, President Mahama reiterated his call for global leaders to make the right choice—invest in life-saving vaccines, not weapons of war.