The health challenges facing the continent are too complex and multifaceted for any one entity to tackle alone, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria, said, calling on African nations to cooperate in addressing pressing challenges in the sector.
The leader noted that the continent faces numerous health challenges that require urgent attention, including infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and cholera.
In this regard, the president said that addressing the numerous health issues that require urgent attention requires significant investments in health infrastructure, training of a skilled workforce, improving access to essential medicines, and promoting preventive health measures.
"Together, we can catalyze meaningful change and unlock new opportunities for innovation and impact in our continent. Not Africa in isolation, but a global Africa, engaged in respectful and well-considered partnerships with the rest of the world," Tinubu pointed out.
He also called on African leaders to commit to concrete actions and policies that will promote positive health change in their countries and regions.
"Together, we can build a prosperous, healthier, more equitable future, for all Africans, in line with Agenda 2063," the president remarked.
On Saturday, Tinubu has been appointed as the AU Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership.
According to the president's press office, the appointment recognizes the leader's commitment to train 120,000 health workers nationwide within 16 months and to double the number of primary health care facilities in communities across the country from 8,800 to more than 17,000 over the next three years.
The Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, is hosting the 37th African Union Summit, where the continent's leaders are discussing the resolution of armed conflicts, regional integration, and sustainable development.