Nigeria and Tanzania are set to showcase their progress in pooled procurement and local pharmaceutical production at a regional health financing meeting in South Africa.
With this step, Nigeria joins 13 other African countries exploring innovative financing solutions to strengthen health systems and advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The Regional Technical Meeting on Innovative Financing for Health in Africa, taking place in Johannesburg, is co-organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Africa and the Global Fund.
WHO said the three-day meeting brings together technical experts from 14 African countries, multilateral development banks, development partners, and global health initiatives. Participants will engage in keynote presentations, case studies, peer learning, and ideation sessions designed to highlight country-led innovations.
According to the organisers, the meeting will produce country “ideation maps,” outline pipelines for financing opportunities, and establish a regional community of practice to sustain collaboration.
Other African nations will also present their models. Ghana is showcasing its Medical Trust Fund and reforms on health insurance VAT revenue, while South Africa will present its TB Social Impact Bond, which ties financing to measurable health outcomes.
Dr. Percy Mahlathi, Deputy Director-General of South Africa’s National Department of Health, said the meeting is timely:
“Africa is at a turning point, and innovative thinking will be essential to ensure our resolutions translate into meaningful action. By applying innovative approaches, we can strengthen our health systems and secure equity for our people.”
The Global Fund’s Senior Manager for Health Financing, Nertila Tavanxhi, stressed the importance of mobilising domestic resources:
“The focus is on concrete, evidence-based approaches that countries can adapt and scale. Innovative instruments can expand health budgets and reduce donor dependency.”
Currently, out-of-pocket spending accounts for 36 per cent of Africa’s total health expenditure, while nearly half of sub-Saharan African countries rely on external funding for more than one-third of their health spending.
WHO officials, including Dr. Adelheid Werimo Onyango, Director of Health Systems and Services for Africa, and Ms. Shenaaz El-Halabi, Country Representative in South Africa, said the meeting is designed to build more resilient systems. They emphasised that innovative financing is about aligning resources with country priorities, creating new partnerships, and sustaining the health gains of the past two decades.
The Johannesburg gathering offers countries and partners a platform to mobilise resources, improve coordination, and accelerate progress toward stronger, self-reliant health systems across Africa.
