Sustainable health financing is essential to building resilient health systems and improving access to essential services. Across Africa, governments face growing pressure to meet competing health priorities with limited resources, while reducing dependence on external funding.
Through its Health Economics and Financing Division, Africa CDC works with African Union Member States to improve how health resources are mobilised, allocated and used. The work focuses on strengthening health financing systems, promoting evidence-informed investment decisions and developing national capacity to manage health resources effectively.
A key priority is improving Health Expenditure Tracking and National Health Accounts to provide governments with reliable information on health spending and financing gaps. Africa CDC is also supporting the institutionalisation of Health Technology Assessments (HTA) to guide decisions on medicines, technologies and health interventions.
In 2026, three Member States received direct technical support on HTA, while six others formally requested assistance. Regional workshops for North and West African countries also strengthened capacity in tracking and analysing health expenditure.
Africa CDC is developing the African Reference Package for Essential Health Priorities to guide Member States in identifying affordable, evidence-based health services that reflect national needs and available resources.
Through the Sustainable African Centre for Investment in Health Accountability (SACIA), Health Economics is also establishing the African Health Financing Analytical Observatory to provide country financing profiles, comparative analysis and other evidence to inform policy and investment decisions.
The division is also working to expand domestic and innovative financing through greater engagement with the private sector and African diaspora. These efforts are complemented by technical training, institutional partnerships and knowledge-sharing initiatives to strengthen health economics expertise across Member States.
By combining better financing data, stronger national institutions, and more sustainable sources of investment, Africa CDC aims to support Member States to use health resources more effectively, improve accountability, and reduce dependence on external financing.
