Ghana's Deputy Health Minister appointed to African Union global health committee
via GhanaWeb3 min read
Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, Ghana's Deputy Minister of Health and National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan, has been appointed as a Secretariat Member of the African High-Level Ministerial Committee AHLMC. This African Union initiative aims to strengthen Africa’s influence in global health decision-making and reform the global health architecture to benefit the continent. Her appointment, announced in a letter dated April 13, 2026, by Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention CDC Director-General, Dr. Jean Kaseya, follows a decision by the AU Assembly in February 2026. The AHLMC seeks to consolidate Africa’s position for a more equitable, coherent, and effective global health system. As a Secretariat member, Dr. Ayensu-Danquah, a board-certified general surgeon and public health policy expert, will contribute to advancing priorities such as health governance reform, sustainable financing, equity in healthcare access, resilient health systems, and data and accountability. Her role positions Ghana prominently within Africa’s efforts to reshape global health governance and aligns with President John Dramani Mahama’s health agenda, which emphasizes health sovereignty, system strengthening, preventive care, and regional cooperation. President Mahama has prioritized improving public health financing, rebuilding confidence in the National Health Insurance Scheme, expanding access to primary healthcare, and launched the Free Primary Healthcare policy
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