Africa: A Wake-Up Call for Resilient Health Systems in Africa

Last month, the United States, the largest global health donor, accounting for 32% of all international health assistance, announced its withdrawal from the World Health Organization and issued a blanket stop-work order at USAID, threatening critical health programs.

The U.S.’s exit necessitates reimagining healthcare systems and delivery from being an aid-dependent service to being a resilient, self-sustaining system capable of thriving in a volatile world.

Eliminating aid dependence does not mean isolationism but instead, self-reliance that is rooted in local innovation, community-driven solutions, and scalable models of care. Africa, home to immense challenges but also boundless potential, is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation.

Africa’s healthcare landscape reflects both the urgency of the challenge and the enormity of the opportunity. Fewer than 50 percent of Africans have access to modern health facilities yet the continent bears a disproportionate disease burden, including for HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. Alarmingly, 70 percent of global maternal mortalities occur in the region, and infant mortality rates are also high.

These figures paint a dire picture, but they also highlight where targeted, innovative interventions can have the most impact. Building self-sustaining health systems to address these challenges is not just an ideal—it’s a necessity.

Imagine an Africa health system where technology bridges the gap between patients and providers, even in the most remote areas. Where supply chains run efficiently, ensuring that every health center is stocked with lifesaving medications. Where governments, private sector actors, and communities work hand-in-hand to create systems that are not just functional but thriving.

This vision is achievable, but it requires a deliberate shift in how healthcare systems are funded and managed.

Currently, at least 10 percent of Africa’s healthcare is funded by foreign aid. Now it is time for African leaders to shift away and instead use diverse funding sources that prioritize sustainability and local ownership. Public-private partnerships can play a central role by pooling resources and expertise to strengthen infrastructure and scale solutions. For example, impact investors, including those from the diaspora, can channel patient capital into health ventures serving their home countries. Innovative mechanisms such as blended finance models, pay-for-success contracts, and social impact bonds can attract investments while ensuring accountability through measurable health outcomes.

International sponsors remain essential, not as aid providers but as enablers of transformation. Programs like Grand Challenges Canada (GCC) and the WFP Innovation Accelerator show how targeted funding can empower local innovations that scale sustainably. This requires donors to shift focus from direct service delivery to building local capacity, fostering resilience, and enabling African nations to lead their own healthcare transformations. By creating an environment that incentivizes innovation, accountability, and collaboration, Africa can establish health systems that thrive, empower communities, and attract further investment. This is not just about replacing foreign aid; it’s about ensuring that health systems are equipped to stand strong and adapt in the face of future challenges.

One of the most powerful levers for transforming healthcare in Africa lies in technology. Telehealth is one example. My organization Speetar, a digital health platform launched in Libya, connected Libyan patients with healthcare providers globally through telemedicine, starting in 2019. This was a vital lifeline in a country where health infrastructure was crippled by conflict. Innovative funding sources made Speetar possible and scalable. By structuring the platform as a social enterprise from the beginning, we attracted social impact investors willing to provide patient capital, particularly from the diaspora. Speetar also benefited from catalytic funding from several entities. This agile, mission-driven funding approach offers a replicable model for other entrepreneurs seeking to tackle systemic challenges in healthcare.

Today, we’ve expanded to serve communities in Somalia, Sudan, and Egypt—regions with diverse but equally pressing healthcare needs. By leveraging artificial intelligence, virtual consultations, and data-driven analytics, Speetar has not only increased access to care but also optimized resource allocation in environments where every dollar and every professional counts. For instance, our prenatal maternal health program has demonstrated how much more efficient this approach can be compared to traditional models. Through targeted telemedicine consultations and AI-supported risk assessments, we reduced unnecessary clinic visits by over 45%, redirected scarce resources to high-risk pregnancies, and ensured timely interventions. This level of precision and cost-efficiency makes the case for tech-enabled solutions as essential tools for scalable, impactful healthcare delivery.

Technology’s potential extends far beyond telemedicine. Robust data systems can address longstanding issues in supply chain management, ensuring that essential medicines and equipment reach the most underserved areas. Digital tools can also enhance preventative care, empowering individuals with the information they need to make healthier choices while easing the strain on overstretched health workers.

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Indeed, implementing digital health interventions has demonstrated significant cost savings and improved health outcomes. A systematic review found that 57.1% of digital health interventions led to higher quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) alongside cost savings, particularly in areas of mobile health applications. Additionally, the adoption of medical technology solutions in emerging markets has been shown to reduce healthcare costs by improving efficiency and reducing the rate of hospital readmissions.

Others may suggest that Africa’s reliance on donor funding makes self-sufficiency unrealistic. Yes, the transition may take time. However, resilience lies in creating systems that prioritize local solutions, leverage community networks, and embrace technology to scale impact.

The U.S. shuttering international health assistance is an opportunity for African leaders to chart a new path—one centered on resilience over dependency on foreign aid and innovation over inertia. If Africa embraces this moment, it can build health systems that do more than survive—they can thrive.

Mohamed Aburawi is a physician turned digital health entrepreneur and the founder of Speetar, a social enterprise transforming healthcare delivery across Africa.

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