Remarks by Hon. Dehpue Y. Zuo Deputy Minister of Finance for Economic Management – Principles of the Guide Launch of “Sustainable Financing for Health: A User Guide for African Governments”

Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, partners, ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for being here today.

As Deputy Minister of Finance for Economic Management and donor coordination, we all face the same reality.

Every day, we are asked to do more.
More services, more coverage, better quality, stronger systems.
And we fully embrace that responsibility.

But at the same time, we are working within increasingly tight constraints.
Budgets are under pressure. Debt servicing is rising. And the external support many of our systems have relied on is evolving.

So, the question we are all dealing with is very practical:
How do we continue to deliver on our health priorities in this environment?

This is why this Guide matters.

Because it starts from that reality.

It does not assume ideal conditions.
It recognises the constraints we face, and it tries to provide a way forward that is realistic and actionable.

What I find particularly valuable is that it brings together two worlds that do not always speak enough to each other: health and finance.

As Ministry of Finance, we know where the needs are.
We know the gaps in infrastructure, in workforce, in service delivery.
But turning those needs into financing solutions requires close engagement with our colleagues in Ministries of Finance.

And that is not always easy.

This Guide helps create that common language.
It helps us better understand how financing decisions are made, and how we can position health priorities within those discussions.

It also opens the door to new possibilities.

We are all familiar with traditional budget financing.
But increasingly, we are being asked to consider other approaches, whether public-private partnerships, sustainability-linked financing, or even debt-for-health swaps.

These are complex instruments.
And for many of us, they are not part of our day-to-day work.

What this Guide does is demystify them.
It does not present them as quick fixes, but as options that, if well understood and carefully structured, can support our objectives.

I would like to commend the African Legal Support Facility for bringing this initiative forward.

This is exactly the kind of support countries need: practical, grounded, and directly relevant to the challenges we face.

I also want to thank the Gates Foundation.

Their support goes beyond funding. It reflects a willingness to work with governments, to listen, and to invest in tools that strengthen our capacity to make informed decisions.

This kind of partnership is essential.

Because ultimately, sustainable health financing will not come from one solution or one actor.
It will come from better coordination, better use of available resources, and a willingness to explore new approaches, while remaining disciplined in how we apply them.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

This Guide will not solve all our challenges.
But it gives us something very important: a starting point.

A way to structure discussions.
A way to ask the right questions.
And a way to move from ideas to implementation.

And that, in itself, is already a significant step forward.

Thank you.

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