West Africa just made one of its biggest health commitments in years and it happened in Dakar, Senegal, where Ministers of Health and Finance from across the region gathered with Africa CDC, the African Union, Gavi, and partners for a major forum on vaccination and Primary Health Care (PHC). The message from Dakar was clear: every child must be protected, every community must be reached, and Africa must take charge of its own health future.
For years, vaccination has been one of the most effective ways to save lives, yet many West African countries still struggle with low coverage, rising outbreaks, and dependence on external funding. At the same time, global aid is declining and health budgets are stretched. But the good news? More countries in the region are now increasing their own investment in immunization, signaling a shift toward true health sovereignty.
Leaders at the forum committed to making immunization and PHC national priorities baked directly into development plans and national budgets. They want stronger teamwork between ministries of health and finance so funding becomes predictable and long-term. Communities will also have a bigger voice in planning and monitoring health services, making PHC more people-centered and accessible.
One of the boldest promises is financial: West African countries plan to allocate at least half of their national health budgets to Primary Health Care by 2030. They’re also exploring new financing solutions like solidarity taxes, sovereign health funds, and public-private partnerships to keep health programs sustainable.
On the ground, countries pledged to integrate vaccination more tightly into PHC, cut the number of “zero-dose children” by half by 2030, strengthen community health workers, and expand digital tools like electronic registries, geolocation tracking, and mobile outreach. The goal is simple: reach every child, even in remote, fragile, or nomadic communities.
Another major shift is the focus on African vaccine manufacturing. Leaders expressed strong support for scaling up local production, harmonizing regulations, pooling regional procurement, and building Centers of Excellence for vaccine research and innovation. This is a huge step toward reducing dependence on global supply chains.
To make sure all these promises become reality, countries agreed to a regional monitoring and accountability system led by Africa CDC. An annual report will track progress, funding, and performance keeping everything transparent and measurable.
The forum ended with a powerful call for African solidarity. Leaders acknowledged Senegal and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye for championing this vision and urged governments, partners, the private sector, and the African diaspora to co-invest in Africa’s health systems.
Their parting message from Dakar was simple but strong:
“Protect every child, transform our systems, build our sovereignty.”