THE NAIROBI DECLARATION 2023
PREAMBLE
We, Parliamentarians from Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal,
Zambia and Zimbabwe, gathered in Nairobi on 11th & 12th July 2023 at the sidelines of the
African Union Summit, to reflect and discuss health financing in Africa.
Cognizant of the need to formalize genuine collaboration between parliamentarians and Civil
Society, we propose for an effective advocacy program on sustainable domestic resource
mobilization for health in Africa, through a platform for exchanging information, sharing best
practices, strengthening political and synergies.
Our recommendations, resulted in the creation of the Parliamentarian Task Force on Domestic
Resource Mobilization for Health in Africa, with the objectives of engaging parliamentarians in
their respective countries on issues such as the mobilization of national resources for health;
strengthening of community health; universal health coverage; and addressing gaps in funding
for the fight against HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria. We, therefore, unite our voices in support of
this declaration:
CONTEXT
The African Union member states have subscribed to a solid normative legal framework on the
right to health; they have committed to its Agenda 2063, whose aim is to transform the potential
threat posed by the expected doubling of its young population by 2050, into a «demographic
dividend», bringing economic growth and higher living standards, and they also subscribed
to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim to significantly increase the health
budget to ensure that everyone benefits from universal health coverage (UHC).
Heads of state and government have also made declarations and commitments on health
financing, notably at the 32nd Ordinary Conference of the African Union in Addis Ababa in
February 2019, during which they endorsed the deliberations of the African Leaders’ Meeting
(ALM) and adopted declarations in favor of mobilizing domestic resources for health financing
in Africa.
Notably, many African states are struggling to meet their commitments to mobilize domestic
resources, yet investing in health is investing in human capital, creating stable jobs, stimulating
economic growth and reducing inequalities.
While investments in community health programs are cost-effective, we note with concern the
lack of prioritisation and adequate budgets for the same. These investments contribute to the
reduction of health inequalities, ensuring access to basic services for vulnerable and marginalized
populations; they deliver high quality services and improve overall health outcomes and hence
need to be prioritised.
We acknowledge the support and collaboration of these partners.COMMITMENTS
We are committed to advocate for :
- Domestic resource mobilization for health including push for the move from commitment
to action, co-financing of Global Fund and other development partners programs for HIV,
TB and Malaria, to build equitable and resilient health systems, focused on people centered
approach and integrated health services (addressing HIV, TB and Malaria and other health
issues based on people’s needs and disease burden);
- Community Health system strengthening, including ensuring a recognized status for
Community Health Workers, financing of Community Health Strategy, support for community
led responses, and incorporation of community, rights and gender considerations in HIV, TB
and malaria programming;
- Incorporating universal health coverage as a goal in national health policy frameworks,
strategically connected to broader inter-ministerial priorities such as emergency
preparedness, social stability, climate, economy and finance;
- Bridging financial and implementation gaps of HIV, TB, Malaria, Health Systems Strengthening,
Pandemic Prevention Preparedness and Response and Community Health Systems in the
National Strategic Plans for the countries;
- Establish a space for exchange and sharing of good practices among parliamentarians from
different regions of Africa;
- Create synergies with civil society on Domestic Resource Mobilization for Health in Africa.
RECOMMENDATIONS
That African governments, in a multi-sectoral approach, work in concert with parliamentarians,
civil society and the private sector to implement sustainable strategies for mobilizing domestic
resources and for a significant increase in health budgets, given that a healthy nation is
indispensable to Africa’s socio-economic transformation, as envisaged in Agenda 2063.
African governments, with the aim of achieving universal health coverage by 2030, accelerate
the institutionalization of community health agents to ensure the sustainability of their actions.
This means formalizing their integration into health systems, professionalizing their training and
mobilizing the resources needed to pay them.DECLARATION_MP_Nairobi_ENG
Nairobi, July 12, 2023