Launched on March 25 by Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister, Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, in Ouagadougou, the inaugural edition of FONAFIS (National Forum on Health Financing) draws to a close on March 27.
This significant high-level forum convenes political leaders, local and international experts, alongside technical and financial partners (TFPs). Their discussions center on crucial challenges related to mobilizing resources and diminishing reliance on external funding for public health initiatives across Africa. A core objective for the organizers is also to fortify the African continent’s health systems, enhancing their resilience against various crises.
On March 25, Mohamed Janabi, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, presented an overview of the health financing landscape in Africa. He highlighted that a substantial quarter of the region’s health expenditures currently originates from external sources.
Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo further articulated that health sovereignty stands as a central pillar of Burkina Faso’s national transformation agenda, which has been guided by a Popular Progressive Revolution (PPR) since September 2022. He reaffirmed the commitment of his country’s executive to independently secure the financing for its healthcare system through its own national resources.
