African health leaders have called for urgent reforms to strengthen primary healthcare systems, warning that preventable maternal and child deaths remain a major development challenge across the continent amid persistent inequalities in access to care.

According to data from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the continent loses nearly 50 mothers, 140 newborns and 300 children under five every hour, largely from preventable causes linked to delayed care, weak health systems and financial barriers.

This highlighted mounting concern among policymakers and health experts that unequal access to essential services, coupled with systemic inefficiencies and limited investment in primary healthcare, continues to slow progress in reducing preventable deaths among women and children, especially in rural and low-income communities across the region.

Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa CDC, described the situation as a "silent crisis", noting that the continued loss of lives points to systemic failures in healthcare delivery rather than a lack of medical solutions.

Kaseya stressed that addressing maternal and child mortality requires a shift from fragmented and donor-dependent health systems to coordinated, self-reliant models capable of delivering equitable and sustainable care.

"It is not just a health issue — it is a development issue and a sovereignty issue," he said. "A continent that cannot protect its mothers and children cannot claim full sovereignty over its future."

He outlined key priorities including strengthening health governance, improving pandemic preparedness, mobilizing domestic resources, expanding digital health systems and increasing local manufacturing of essential medical supplies.

Inefficiencies in health financing remain a major barrier, he said, with up to 40 percent of health expenditure across Africa estimated to be lost due to weak procurement systems, poor planning, lack of accountability and the presence of so-called ghost workers.

Aden Duale, Kenya's cabinet secretary for health, acknowledged that maternal mortality, newborn deaths, and stillbirths remain unacceptably high, calling for accelerated action and warning against complacency.

He emphasized the need to prioritize reproductive and adolescent health while strengthening accountability mechanisms to ensure measurable progress in reducing preventable deaths.

Digital innovation is increasingly seen as a pathway to improving accountability and service delivery. In countries such as Kenya, he said, real-time data platforms are helping authorities track health coverage and identify populations at risk, enabling earlier interventions.

Patrick Amoth, director-general at Kenya's ministry of health, said that although progress has been made in family planning, antenatal care and skilled birth attendance, disparities in access and quality of care continue to cost lives in Africa.

Amoth emphasized the need to strengthen primary healthcare systems and scale-up evidence-based interventions, including improved antenatal services, prevention of postpartum haemorrhage and respectful maternity care.