Ghana targets healthcare investment at 2026 China-West Afric summit

The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Health Community of West Africa Association (HCOWA), has officially launched preparations for the 3rd China–West Africa Medical and Health Industry and AI Diagnosis and Project Cooperation Summit & Expo 2026, with a renewed commitment to strengthening healthcare partnerships, promoting investment and advancing the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare delivery.

The launch ceremony, held on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at the Ministry of Health Conference Hall in Accra, featured the symbolic cutting of a ribbon to officially inaugurate the summit preparations, marking the start of activities leading to the international event scheduled for August 2026.

The summit is being held under the theme "Strengthening China–West Africa Health Partnerships Through Innovation, Investment, Technology and Sustainable Healthcare Development".

A speech delivered on behalf of the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, described the launch as the beginning of a new phase of collaboration between Ghana, China and the wider West African sub-region to transform healthcare through innovation, technology and strategic partnerships.



The minister said the initiative aligns with the government's vision of building a resilient, modern and people-centred health system capable of delivering quality healthcare to every Ghanaian.

He said Ghana's healthcare transformation agenda is anchored on strategic reforms, investment in infrastructure, research, innovation and digital technology, stressing that artificial intelligence will play a critical role in the future of healthcare.

According to him, AI has the potential to improve disease surveillance, support clinical decision-making, expand access to specialist care through telemedicine and improve the efficiency of health facilities, particularly in support of the government's Free Primary Healthcare policy.

Akandoh noted that Ghana welcomes partnerships that promote technology transfer, local pharmaceutical production, medical equipment manufacturing, healthcare infrastructure development and skills transfer.

The minister disclosed that the summit is expected to attract more than 300 medical enterprises from China and West Africa, representing sectors including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, diagnostics, medical technology and healthcare innovation.

He also encouraged healthcare professionals, researchers, universities, investors and young innovators to participate in the summit to take advantage of opportunities for networking, knowledge exchange and collaboration.

President of the Health Community of West Africa Association, Sihong Jiang, said the association's vision is to position Ghana as a leading healthcare hub in West Africa through stronger international partnerships.

She said the summit would provide a platform for governments, healthcare institutions, researchers, investors and technology companies to share expertise and create new business opportunities capable of transforming healthcare across the region.

According to her, rapid advances in medical technology, digital health and artificial intelligence present significant opportunities to improve healthcare services, strengthen health systems and support medical professionals.

Sihong Jiang expressed appreciation to the Government of Ghana, the Ministry of Health and other partners for supporting the initiative, describing the launch as the beginning of preparations for the main summit scheduled for August 19 to 21, 2026, at the Ghana International Mall in Accra.

Vice President of HCOWA, Prince Opoku Dogbey, said in an interview that this year's summit aims to bring together medical equipment manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies from China to partner with local manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors.

He explained that the broader objective is to establish Ghana as a manufacturing hub for medical equipment and pharmaceuticals while attracting increased foreign direct investment into the country's healthcare sector.

Dogbey said HCOWA has engaged key institutions, including the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organisation, the Ghana Free Zones Authority and the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat, to support the initiative.

He said organisers expect the summit to attract more than 5,000 medical practitioners, over 300 exhibitors from China and West Africa and numerous international investors, creating opportunities for partnerships, investment and technology transfer.

During a presentation, Dogbey highlighted the impact of previous editions, revealing that the 2025 summit brought together more than 100 Chinese medical enterprises, 47 medical associations across West Africa, over 500 distributors and about 1,000 medical institutions and generated an estimated US$30 million in business orders.

The vice president of HCOWA further stated that the 2026 edition will feature specialised programmes in artificial intelligence in healthcare, oncology, nephrology, traditional Chinese medicine and other medical disciplines, while also promoting academic exchange programmes between Ghanaian and Chinese healthcare professionals.

Organisers believe the summit will strengthen healthcare cooperation between China and West Africa, attract investment into Ghana's health sector and contribute to the country's ambition of becoming a regional centre for healthcare innovation, medical manufacturing and technology.