US aid reductions strain healthcare systems in Africa

A report titled ‘A Sovereign Future For Health’, produced by the Accra Reset initiative, warns that healthcare systems in Africa and the Global South are under growing strain due to reduced US financial contributions. The analysis highlights that the contraction of funding from agencies such as USAID, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic and rising global living costs, has created a critical void in essential health services.

Specific impacts include the withdrawal of Pepfar funding in South Africa, which led to the closure of HIV clinics and left 1.4 million people facing treatment uncertainty. In Nigeria, the dissolution of USAID programs forced the government to absorb 28,000 health workers at a cost of $200 million. The report notes that external financing for health in Africa contracted by nearly 70% between 2021 and 2025.

Led by former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, the Accra Reset advocates for greater regional control over health development to reduce dependency on Western aid. The report emphasizes the need for self-reliance, noting that while Africa carries approximately 25% of the global disease burden, it produces less than 1% of its own vaccines.