Burkina Faso’s national health financing forum wraps up

The inaugural National Forum on Health Financing (FONAFIS), which commenced on March 25 under the guidance of Burkinabè Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo in Ouagadougou, successfully concluded its proceedings on March 27.

This significant high-level gathering brought together an array of political leaders, both local and international experts, and various Technical and Financial Partners (PTF). Their collective focus was directed towards critical issues concerning the mobilization of essential resources and strategies to diminish reliance on external funding for public health initiatives across the African continent. A central ambition for the organizers was also to fortify the resilience of Africa’s healthcare systems against future crises.

During the opening day, March 25, Mohamed Janabi, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, provided a comprehensive overview of the region’s health financing situation. He specifically highlighted that a substantial one-quarter of all health expenditures within the African region currently originates from international sources.

Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo subsequently articulated that achieving “health sovereignty” stands as a cornerstone of Burkina Faso’s national transformation agenda, a nation that has been actively pursuing a Popular Progressive Revolution (RPP) since September 2022. He further reaffirmed his government’s steadfast commitment to independently fund its national health system through its own means.