African Union Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development, Ambassador Amma Twum-Amoah, has called for African leaders to adopt an integrated approach to health, water, and sanitation. She emphasized that fragmented interventions will not achieve the continent's health and development goals by 2030. This urgent appeal was made at the African Union Extraordinary Health Summit in Accra on Tuesday, July 21.
Ambassador Twum-Amoah underscored the critical link between healthcare delivery and access to safe water and sanitation. She described these three sectors as inseparable pillars of sustainable development. The Commissioner noted that the African Union's 2026 Theme of the Year, under South Africa's chairmanship, rightly places sustainable water availability and safe sanitation at the centre of the continent's development agenda.
This call for integrated action aligns with Ghana's ongoing efforts to improve public health infrastructure and access to basic services. Ghana, like many African nations, faces challenges in providing universal access to safe water and sanitation. The country's economic development is directly tied to a healthy and productive workforce, making these interventions crucial. Previous initiatives have often treated health, water, and sanitation as separate issues, leading to inefficiencies and suboptimal outcomes.
Ambassador Twum-Amoah stated, "We must recognise the inseparable relationship between health, water, and sanitation." She added that access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene is fundamental to preventing infections, improving maternal and newborn health, enhancing nutrition, and preserving human dignity. She further stressed that healthcare facilities cannot effectively deliver quality services without adequate water and sanitation infrastructure. "A health facility without safe water is not fully functional. A maternity ward without adequate sanitation is not safe," Ambassador Twum-Amoah emphasised.
The Commissioner urged African governments and stakeholders to ensure that health, water, and sanitation policies are planned and implemented together. She called for practical action, moving beyond discussions to focus on solutions that accelerate progress. "Our mission today is clear: to assess progress honestly, acknowledge the gaps courageously, identify practical and adequate finance actions, and build consensus around a strong declaration for consideration by our Heads of State and Government," she stated.
Ambassador Twum-Amoah warned against delays in implementing existing commitments. She noted that millions of Africans continue to suffer from preventable illnesses while governments debate new policies. "A mother experiencing complications during childbirth cannot wait for another declaration," she said. "A child with malaria cannot wait for another financing cycle." With less than five years remaining until the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals deadline, African countries must prioritise implementation over fresh commitments. "The road to 2030 is now very short. Our task is not to produce more commitments, but to honour those already made," she asserted.
Concluding her address, Ambassador Twum-Amoah invoked the symbolism of the baobab tree to highlight the importance of collaboration. She called on African governments, development partners, and health stakeholders to translate policy commitments into tangible outcomes. This will improve the lives of citizens across the continent. The summit brought together ministers, health experts, development partners, and policymakers from across Africa. They reviewed progress and developed strategies to accelerate universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.