DAR ES SALAAM: AFRICAN countries need to increase domestic health spending and expand local production of medicines to reduce reliance on foreign support and strengthen health security, Tanzania’s Health Minister Mohamed Mchengerwa said.
Speaking on Tuesday at the opening of the fourth Eastern Africa Regional Ministerial Steering Committee meeting in Dar es Salaam, Mr Mchengerwa urged the 14 participating countries to take greater responsibility for building and sustaining their health systems.
Africa spends more than 28 billion US dollars a year on pharmaceutical products in a continental health market estimated at 170 billion US dollars, but a significant share of that spending benefits producers outside the continent.
“We are, in effect, exporting our health budget and importing our vulnerability,” said Mr Mchengerwa.
He called for faster development of local and regional production of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and other essential health commodities, as well as pooled procurement systems to secure affordable and reliable supplies across the region.
Mr Mchengerwa said sustainable investment in maternal and child health and primary healthcare should be treated as an investment in productive people, stronger economies and resilient communities, rather than simply as expenditure.
He warned that the withdrawal of major donor support for maternal and child health commodities had exposed the risks of excessive dependence on external financing. Tanzania, he said, was ready to share its experience in centralised procurement and distribution through the Medical Stores Department (MSD).
The push for greater health self-reliance comes as African countries seek to strengthen systems capable of responding to pandemics, disease outbreaks and other emergencies.
Mr Mchengerwa cited United Nations figures showing Africa’s maternal mortality ratio at 454 deaths per 100,000 live births and under-five mortality at 71 deaths per 1,000 live births.
He said Tanzania’s investment in primary healthcare has contributed to improvements, with 80 to 85 per cent of the population now able to access health services within five kilometres of their homes.
The number of neonatal care units rose from 14 in 2018 to 438 in 2025, while maternal mortality fell from 556 to 104 deaths per 100,000 live births. Under-five mortality declined from 67 to 43 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Mr Mchengerwa attributed the progress to expanded primary healthcare, improved availability of skilled health workers and strengthened referral systems.
He urged East African countries to make cross-border disease surveillance and coordinated responses routine, saying outbreaks such as Ebola and cholera can quickly become regional threats.
“Diseases respect no borders, carry no passport and queue at no immigration desk. Neither, therefore, can our response,” he said.
The meeting brings together health ministers, African Union and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention representatives, development partners and technical experts to advance regional cooperation on health security and primary healthcare.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr Grace Magembe said the meeting was expected to help member states turn regional health commitments into measurable action.
She said discussions would also focus on cross-border preparedness and responses to health emergencies, underscoring the need for countries to build stronger systems capable of responding collectively to regional health threats.
