President John Mahama says Africa’s vision of building a robust pharmaceutical manufacturing industry is steadily becoming a reality.

He has called on African leaders to accelerate efforts to reduce the continent’s dependence on imported medicines and medical supplies.

Addressing Heads of State and Government on the second day of the African Union Extraordinary Summit, President Mahama said the continent’s pharmaceutical manufacturing agenda had moved beyond aspirations and was now on a path towards implementation.

He stressed that Africa’s continued reliance on imported essential medicines and health commodities remains a major vulnerability, underscoring the need for increased investment in local pharmaceutical production to strengthen health security and drive industrial growth.

According to the President, expanding domestic manufacturing capacity will not only improve access to essential medicines but also support economic transformation by creating jobs for the continent’s growing youth population.

President Mahama also expressed concern over the decline in international development assistance for health, noting that many African countries still rely heavily on external funding to sustain their healthcare systems.

He described the situation as a critical moment that demands bold, homegrown solutions capable of making African health systems more resilient and self-reliant.

The President argued that investment in healthcare should be viewed as both a social obligation and an economic strategy, linking stronger health systems to sustainable economic growth, industrial development and employment creation.

He urged African leaders, health ministers, policymakers and development partners to move beyond declarations and translate their commitments into concrete actions, stressing that the continent’s health future depends on decisive leadership and sustained investment in local pharmaceutical manufacturing.