Recent global funding cuts must be a catalyst for Africa’s prosperity

Communities worldwide are facing devastating challenges due to the recent international funding cuts. These have had a profound impact on the health sector and pose a serious risk to global health security. Yet, unilateral funding cuts that ignore on-the-ground realities are exactly the wrong approach to development at a time of growing health threats. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored a critical lesson: Weak health systems in one part of the world are a danger to the health of all globally. Sustaining strong funding levels — even as we work to build resilient, diversified, and sustainable systems that will enable low- and middle-income countries to continue their hard-won progress against infectious diseases long after donor support has ended — rests squarely on the shoulders of all of us in the global community. For Africa, the urgent need to save lives while preventing future pandemics is a compelling reason for leaders to focus on domestic resource mobilization, diversification, and investment in pandemic preparedness and response, supporting efforts to end infectious diseases while strengthening global health security. Across the continent, community health workers epitomize this effort. The challenges they encounter while providing critical health care usually go unnoticed. From Ebola and Marburg to mpox and other dangerous pathogens, they are the first line of defense against global health crises. Saying their work is essential is an understatement; they are the very thread that holds the fabric of our community health together. It is in everyone’s best interest not to cut funding to such a vital sector. But recent international funding cuts have weakened these commitments. They have resulted in people pulling out of prevention and treatment programs, overnight termination of health workers’ appointments, and the immediate shutdown of disease surveillance systems. The consequences have been devastating. One estimate, for example, warns that funding cuts by major donors across Africa and other low- and middle-income countries could cause more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030. What is noteworthy here is that the impact will not only affect low- and middle-income countries, but high-income countries will also be extensively exposed to future health threats. Now, with health threats mounting, pulling funding without considering on-the-ground needs is the wrong strategy. COVID-19 made this undeniable: A virus emerging in one corner of the world can rapidly become a matter of global health concern. Wealthier nations have both a moral responsibility and a practical interest in sustaining support for initiatives that fight major infectious diseases. Additionally, they should invest in measures that promote a responsible, gradual transition to African-led financing — an essential approach to preserve progress, protect our gains, and save lives globally. As Africans, we should understand that our complete and total development cannot hinge on international aid. We must not let this crisis go to waste. Instead, we must act urgently to increase our own investments in health, combining the remaining international support and our own domestic finances to build resilient health systems and strong institutional capacity. The Abuja 2001 Declaration and the Abuja+12 Declaration are a pathway to a future where domestic funding will be front and center of the African health sector. However, African countries are lagging in implementing these lifesaving declarations. The time for implementing these commitments is now, accelerating progress toward an Africa where the future of our health investments is firmly in our hands. The Africa Leadership Meeting – Investing in Health 2019 declaration is another important initiative. It serves as a road map for sustainable health financing, offering a framework to advance equity, strengthen financial protection, and promote country leadership and coordination. ALM-led dialogues across Africa have helped in-country development partners align their efforts with national health financing agendas. By fostering collaboration, political commitment, and effective resource mobilization, ALM is guiding African countries toward sustainable health systems and improved health outcomes for all. For the international development community, this moment is both a challenge and an invitation: Let us continue to invest together as we strive to accelerate progress toward the 2030 and 2063 goals. We are too close to the destination to stop now and risk losing it all. More so, let us urgently begin co-creating mechanisms that will allow low- and middle-income countries worldwide to transition from donor support without causing devastating consequences. These mechanisms must acknowledge the moral imperative that the lives and livelihoods of people in these countries matter, but they should also go further: embracing the strategic case that investing in a more equitable world is a wise, self-interested decision for wealthier nations. In the spirit of Pan-Africanism, I call on Africa’s development partners and African financial institutions to work with us to reimagine development, not as an act of charity, but as a shared commitment to building a more prosperous and secure world for all. The severe funding cuts in recent times, which have disrupted critical programs and heightened global vulnerability to infectious diseases, serve as a reminder that this is our moment to break free from the outdated model of aid dependence. It is time to forge a new path forward, rooted in resilience, sustainability, and genuine partnership. We must build a secure platform grounded in solidarity, dignity, and mutual respect — one that reflects the hopes, ambitions, and aspirations of all citizens of the world.