Mahama opens 28th AMCOA Conference

President John Dramani Mahama inaugurated the 28th Annual Conference of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa (AMCOA) in Accra on Monday, emphasizing the importance of African nations taking ownership and safeguarding their healthcare systems. The five-day event, centered around the theme "Responsive Regulation for Safer Communities Towards Universal Health Coverage," aims to explore the pivotal role of effective and adaptable healthcare regulation in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) across the continent.

Mahama highlighted the significance of investing in Artificial Intelligence and modern technology to establish new standards for online medical consultations, stressing the need for robust medical regulations to ensure patient safety and uphold high professional standards. He outlined seven key points for the conference, including strengthening regulatory harmonization through enhanced cooperation, reliable verification, and appropriate recognition of qualifications without compromising standards.

Investing in regulatory science was another crucial aspect, ensuring decisions are based on evidence and that regulators possess the skills to adapt to new technologies, changing workforce patterns, and emerging risks. Building secure data exchange systems to facilitate timely information sharing while respecting privacy and implementing proper data governance was also emphasized.

Protecting the integrity of medical education was deemed essential, with accreditation, assessments, internships, continuing professional development, and ethical formation remaining vital components of training health professionals.

Addressing healthcare in humanitarian and fragile settings, Mahama called for the development of practical frameworks that enable rapid emergency response while maintaining standards and accountability during crises. Regulating digital health and Artificial Intelligence with urgency, wisdom, and a commitment to equity was identified as the sixth point, while placing patients and the public at the center of every regulatory decision was the seventh point.

The President urged the conference to produce practical outcomes, stronger collaborations, implementable policy recommendations, capacity-building plans, improved information sharing, and a renewed continental commitment to high standards. He emphasized that universal health coverage cannot exist without universal health confidence, ensuring citizens are confident that healthcare professionals are competent, ethical, and accountable.

Mr. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister of Health, mentioned Ghana's expanding continuum of care, ranging from free primary healthcare to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, which supports specialized and high-cost care for chronic conditions. Dr. Anarfi-Asamoah Baah, a former World Health Organisation (WHO) Deputy Director-General, stressed the need for African countries to increase domestic health spending to protect their people's health.

Prof Joel Okullo, the AMCOA President and Chairman of the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council, stressed the recognition of health regulation as a central pillar for universal health coverage.