WHO Proposes Increased Health Taxes To Bridge Financing Gap

Accra: World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Tuesday proposed an increase in health taxes on some consumer products to raise enough revenue to close global health funding gaps.

Speaking during the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit in Accra, the Ghanaian capital, Ghebreyesus also called for more domestic investment and deeper governance reform in health to build resilient health systems in Africa.

He said health financing could not be discussed outside the broader economic context, noting that Africa is disadvantaged in the global economic architecture, losing more than it receives in aid, which makes health financing difficult on the continent.

He cited the example of 2023, when Africa received 74 billion U.S. dollars in aid but lost 90 billion dollars to illicit financial outflows and 55 billion dollars to corporate tax exemptions.

"One practical solution is health taxes. A 50 percent price increase on harmful products like tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks could generate an additional 3.7 trillion dollars globally within five years and save millions of lives. Beyond domestic reforms, global change is essential," said the WHO director-general.

Turning to Africa, Ghebreyesus said the continent needs leadership to recognize opportunities in crisis. He lauded Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama for his leadership in seeking to reimagine the global health governance architecture and bring health issues confronting Africa to the fore.

The summit is expected to adopt the Accra Initiative, a bold, action-oriented roadmap that establishes new benchmarks, shared principles, and clear priorities for reforming global health governance.

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