Faith leaders call for investment in health services amid shrinking donor funding
Health & Science
By
Ryan Kerubo
| Nov 28, 2025
In the face of sharp reductions in global health funding, Christian faith and health leaders from 10 African countries met in Nairobi to chart a new path for sustainable, locally led healthcare.
The leaders called for greater national investment in health, global solidarity and recognition of faith-based providers as indispensable partners in delivering care, especially to underserved and remote communities.
"Significant reductions in global health funding are prompting us to revisit our roots," said Doug Fountain, Executive Director of CCIH, noting that faith networks oversee thousands of health facilities across Africa and operate many community programmes.
The three-day African Faith and Health Leaders Consultation brought together bishops, archbishops, pastors and health-care managers from Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia.
The meeting took place between November 25 and 27, 2025 and was co-hosted by Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH), All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) and Africa Christian Health Associations Platform (ACHAP).
READ MORE
Centum Re begins handover of 400 apartments at Nairobi's Two Rivers
Epra makes marginal hike on pipeline tariff, piles pressure on consumers
Why housing has become an economic crisis
ICPAK urges accountants to restore trust in public institutions
Alarm raised over lagging decarbonisation in construction industry
Retail investors can now own a piece of mega infrastructure projects through NSE
Why AI is gaining prominence in Africa's new investment agenda
New push to formalise garbage collection SMEs
The power of patience, psychology and strategy in debt recovery
Motivational speakers: When they sell you false business hopes
"Faith leaders have tremendous influence in their communities, especially with respect to personal issues such as health," said Rev Dr Lesmore Gibson Ezekiel, Director of Peace, Ecclesial Leadership, Development, Interfaith and Theology at AACC.
Bishop Nshole Babula Donatien from the DRC stressed the need for local responsibility.
"The problems of Nigeria will be solved by Nigerians, with assistance from outsiders, but in the final analysis, our problems will be solved by us," he said.
"In the face of funding reductions, we are seeing new partnerships and innovation among Christian health actors," said Nkatha Njeru, chief executive of ACHAP. [Ryan Kerubo]