Nairobi: African governments must treat health as a pillar of economic and national security, with new investment models to tackle fast-rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and protect workforce productivity, says Ms Oluranti Doherty. Doherty, Managing Director for Export Development at the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), made the assertion, on the sidelines of a virtual panel session, at the Africa Press Day held in Nairobi, Kenya.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the institution is shifting from a narrow focus on traditional infrastructure toward health systems, diagnostics, and specialist care, seeing them as core ‘infrastructure for human capital’. Doherty emphasized that amid wars, mounting debts, and external pressures on Africa, it’s crucial to focus on what drives long-term prosperity, with health sovereignty being a significant component.
Doherty warned that the surge in NCDs, including cancers and cardiovascular diseases, is undermining the continent’s growth prospects by eroding
household incomes and weakening the labor force. She stated that improving access to healthcare has become an economic necessity.
Afreximbank, a pan-African multilateral finance institution headquartered in Cairo, has deployed more than $3 billion into healthcare-related interventions, framing health as ‘an economic and national security issue’. This includes $2 billion in advance payment guarantees during the COVID-19 pandemic to support member countries in accessing vaccines and $200 million in credit facilities to repurpose factories for manufacturing medical consumables.
Additionally, $300 million has been invested to support the African Medical Centre of Excellence in Abuja, Nigeria, a tertiary facility focused on NCDs such as oncology, cardiovascular, and haematological diseases. Developed in partnership with King’s College Hospital in London and inaugurated in June 2025, the center is intended as a regional hub for complex care and training.
By prioritizing early diagnosis and specialized treatment,
Afreximbank aims to reduce the economic drag of late-detected illnesses, which often push families into poverty and decrease labor productivity. Doherty highlighted that a healthy workforce is as fundamental to growth as infrastructure like roads and power plants.
Afreximbank plans to continue providing budget finance, advisory services, project preparation services, financing, and trade facilities to promote healthcare projects and investments across Africa. This strategy is intended to position the bank as a partner for both governments and private investors seeking to expand health infrastructure, reinforcing the view that health systems are the infrastructure for human capital.