Countries in Western and Central Africa are facing increasing strain on their health systems due to rising population pressures, disease outbreaks, climate-related shocks, and a growing double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases. At the same time, limited fiscal space is making it more difficult for governments to meet expanding health needs.
To address these challenges, the World Bank Health, Nutrition and Population strategy titled “Fit to Prosper: Investing in Health for Jobs and Development in Western & Central Africa” has been introduced. The strategy aligns with regional and global frameworks including the Accra Reset, the Lusaka Agenda, and the World Bank Group’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage, while also supporting the Africa Initiative for Medical Access and Manufacturing (AIM2030) to strengthen local production of essential health products, improve health security, and create jobs.
The initiative is being formally launched at a high-level regional event in Accra, Ghana, on May 4, 2026, jointly organized by the World Bank Group, the Government of Ghana, and the Global Financing Facility. The event will be presided over by Ghana’s President, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, and will bring together ministers, regional delegations, international organizations, private sector leaders, and civil society representatives.
The launch aims to present the strategy as a unifying regional framework that connects health system strengthening with economic development. It also focuses on improving health outcomes, creating employment opportunities, enhancing productivity, strengthening health security, and improving domestic resource mobilization across the region.
Additionally, the event will promote collaboration among countries to better manage health priorities within constrained budgets and encourage more coordinated financing for health, nutrition, and resilience initiatives. Media participation has been invited to cover the discussions and outcomes of the meeting.
