Fit to Prosper: Investing in Health for Jobs and Development in Western and Central Africa

Excellencies, distinguished guests, and partners, we have convened here in Accra today to discuss, quite literally, the health of Western and Central Africa. It is a matter of utmost importance to the region’s future. We wish to extend our deepest gratitude to His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama and the Government and people of Ghana for their warm hospitality and for co-hosting this important event. This gathering brought together Honorable Ministers of Health and Finance and representatives from countries across Western and Central Africa, alongside experts from the private sector, civil society, development partners, regional institutions and youth leaders. It reflects a shared commitment to the health and well-being of over 500 million people living in this region today, and the 200 million children who will be born in these same countries between 2025 and 2050. We have taken the opportunity to help launch the World Bank Group Health, Nutrition and Population strategy for Western and Central Africa. We assert that by investing in health today, we can ensure that the next generation is not only fit to survive but also Fit to Prosper. We recognize and commend the strong momentum created by health sovereignty and domestic resource mobilization initiatives that have already charted a path forward, most notably the Accra Reset, which in turn builds upon the foundations of the Lusaka Agenda. The Fit to Prosper Health, Nutrition and Population Strategy is intentionally aligned with these efforts, offering a technical and strategic framework to help advance the same goals. By optimizing the use of existing resources to spend better while mobilizing additional domestic resources for health, we can achieve and sustain long-term development gains. There is also growing recognition that investing in health is both a development and an economic imperative. Healthy populations are more productive, more resilient to shocks, and better equipped to drive job creation and economic growth. Strengthening health and nutrition systems is therefore essential to boosting productivity, enabling inclusive growth, and advancing universal health coverage (UHC). The Fit to Prosper strategy is built on three strategic priorities: Frontlines First (strengthening service delivery with a focus on primary care), Fixing Finance (ensuring sustainable investment), and Future Fit (building health system resilience). Applying these priorities to our daily work going forward, through close partnerships between national governments and the World Bank, a regional goal is ambitious but attainable: to reach 200 million people in Western and Central Africa with quality, affordable care by 2030, contributing to the World Bank Group’s global target of 1.5 billion people. At the center of this effort is a universal, high-quality package covering reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health, plus nutrition services designed to break the cycle of high maternal and child mortality and stunting that hold back our economic potential. To translate these aspirations into national impact, we advocate for the realization of National Health Compacts in every country. These compacts which are high-level agreements to outline national commitments to expand affordable, quality healthcare; help to galvanize political leadership, clarify policy reform priorities, and bring together the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance, and all development partners to align around a single country-led plan - one plan, one budget, and one reporting system. We also welcome the collaboration with the UHC Knowledge Hub, a capacity-building platform designed to help us share evidence, practical tools, and opportunities for peer learning. As we look ahead to 2030, reliable access to medicines, vaccines, and supplies through stronger supply chains and local manufacturing is critical. The AIM2030 initiative has the potential to transform local medical manufacturing, enabling Africa to produce life-saving medicines on the continent. At the same time, we recognize that the public sector cannot achieve these goals alone. The private sector is an essential partner in innovation, service delivery, and the development of local value chains for medical countermeasures. From pharmaceutical manufacturing to digital health solutions, private sector engagement is essential to expanding access and creating more than 2 million potential health-related jobs in Western and Central Africa. The forthcoming World Bank regional health investment platform, the “Health and Jobs Multi-Phase Approach” (MPA), will contribute to prioritizing investment in health as a foundational pillar of the economy. By expanding the number of skilled doctors, nurses, technicians and midwives, we are simultaneously improving health outcomes and creating secure, productive employment—particularly for women, who make up most of the health workforce. An emphasis on digitally enabled primary health care is both strategic and timely. PHC that extends beyond facilities through telemedicine, community health workers, pharmacies, and schools can bring services closer to the population and accelerate progress toward UHC. Furthermore, by investing in community health workers, we can bridge the gap in service coverage and build the trust necessary for effective service delivery, disease surveillance, and outbreak response. A strong primary health care system is our first line of defense against pandemics, climate change, and food insecurity. Discussions also emphasized the importance of engaging youth as active stakeholders rather than passive beneficiaries, noting that by 2050 Western and Central Africa will be home to one in five young people globally, and that outcomes will depend on choices made with them. In closing, we thank all the delegates and technical experts for their dedication in shaping this Strategy. We are now inviting all 22 countries of Western and Central Africa to join this unified effort. We call on all partners, including the private sector to come together to support Governments. We also invite communities to own the Strategy and contribute to its realization. The cost of inaction, measured in lost lives and unrealized economic growth, is simply too high. Together, through the implementation of the Fit to Prosper strategy, we can ensure that every child born in this region has the opportunity to thrive in a healthy, resilient, and prosperous future.