Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, H.E. Wamkele Mene has highlighted the critical need for advanced medical facilities and quality health services in Africa, in order to retain monies that are currently funding oversees treatment which can be used in strengthening Africa’s healthcare infrastructure, invest in local talent and build regional centers of excellence.
In a speech delivered during the commissioning of the $350m World Class African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) at Abuja in Nigeria, the Secretary General explained that health services have been prioritised under the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services with the current phase of negotiations intended to expand market access in the critical sector to enabling African healthcare providers and professionals to operate seamlessly across borders.
H.E. Mene revealed that Africa collectively spends over one billion dollars annually on medical care abroad. “This massive outflow reflects deep structural gaps in the continent’s health systems, particularly in specialized care and advanced diagnostics. By retaining this expenditure, Africa not only conserves vital foreign exchange but also advances health sovereignty, channeling resources into pressing development priorities like education, innovation, and social protection”, he advised.
He explained that the situation necessitates the critical need for advanced medical facilities and services within the continent, a need he believes precisely addressed by initiatives such as the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE). He said the AMCE flagship facility is a strategic investment in Africa’s future, marking a paradigm shift, delivering world-class, advanced medical care, especially in critical areas like oncology, haematology, and cardiovascular diseases, right here on our continent.
He added that by offering state-of-the-art diagnostics and treatment, fostering cutting-edge research, and establishing world-class training programs, AMCE will effectively curb medical tourism, retain vital foreign exchange, and, most importantly, reverse the ‘brain drain’ of Africa’s brightest medical minds. He said, such a facility will become a vibrant hub for innovation, cultivating the next generation of African healthcare leaders and ensuring that Africans receive the highest quality care at home. “This initiative embodies our collective commitment to self-sufficiency and inclusive human development across the continent”.
The Secretary General further explained that the AMCE reinforces the AfCFTA’s objective of facilitating the movement of skilled professionals, essential for closing skills gaps, expanding specialized care, and ensuring African talent thrives on African soil. “Strong, integrated health systems are also vital for combating diseases and building resilient public health infrastructure. Furthermore, AMCE’s success positions Africa as a premier destination for medical tourism, conserving foreign exchange and attracting patients from across the continent and beyond”.
Commissioning the facility in Abuja, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria echoed that Nigeria is proud to host the largest stem cell laboratory in West Africa, which is located within the AMCE. Adding, that with the planned Medical and Nursing School on the campus, and with partners ranging from King’s College London to the University of Wisconsin, AMCE is laying the foundation for a new generation of African medical specialists who will no longer be exported but empowered at home.
He observed that the establishment of the AMCE is a collective refusal to accept medical vulnerability as a destiny, stressing that the Centre is a promise of the continent, and a statement that Africa is prepared to compete with the best medical services around the world.
President Tinubu stated that the African Medical Centre of Excellence could not have come at a better time and that the facility will benefit from the investments and reforms his administration has championed, and it is also a reminder that the ultimate measure of a functional nation is the synergy between the government and private sector players to co-create solutions.