The first National Forum on Health Financing (FONAFIS) in Burkina Faso, which commenced on March 25th in Ouagadougou under the leadership of Burkinabè Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, wrapped up its inaugural edition today, March 27th.
This significant high-level gathering convened political decision-makers, both local and international experts, alongside technical and financial partners (PTF). Their discussions centered on critical issues related to mobilizing internal resources and decreasing reliance on external funding for public health initiatives across Africa. A core objective for the organizers was also to fortify the continent’s healthcare systems, enhancing their resilience against various crises.
During the forum’s opening on March 25th, Mohamed Janabi, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, presented an overview of the health funding landscape in Africa. He highlighted a notable statistic: approximately one-quarter of all health expenditures in the region are sourced from outside the continent.
Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo subsequently emphasized that health sovereignty is a fundamental pillar of Burkina Faso’s national transformation agenda, a process initiated with the Popular Progressive Revolution (RPP) in September 2022. He further reiterated the Burkinabè executive’s unwavering commitment to independently finance its national health system through its own means.