The Health Community of West Africa (HCOWA) Association successfully concluded a three-week high-level mission to China, aimed at advancing Ghana’s strategic goal of establishing itself as a leading destination for medical industrial park development and healthcare investment in West Africa.
The mission, which commenced on November 26, 2025, and concluded on December 12, 2025, saw the delegation engage with senior Chinese government officials, industry leaders, and academic institutions to showcase Ghana’s investment potential and underscore the country’s capacity to serve as a regional hub for healthcare innovation and industrial development.
The mission, led by HCOWA President Madam Sihong Jiang, included a high-level delegation comprising HCOWA Vice President Prince Opoku Dogbey, the Registrar of the Traditional Medicine Practice Council Dr. Yusuf Yakubu Tobor, and the Deputy Director for Resource Mobilisation and Coordination at the Ghana Health Service, Mr. Nicholas Nyagblornu.
The visit, which covered major Chinese cities including Chengdu, Changsha, Liaoning, Shenyang, and Beijing, involved engagements with top-tier Chinese government agencies, investors, pharmaceutical manufacturers, traditional medicine institutions, and universities.
Pitching Ghana as an emerging medical industrial hub
Throughout the mission, the delegation showcased Ghana’s strategic advantages as an investment gateway into West Africa—highlighting the nation’s political stability, expanding pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity, growing medical device industry, and strategic regulatory reforms supporting both modern and traditional medicine.
The team also emphasised Ghana’s potential to host a world-class Medical Industrial Park, designed to attract Chinese manufacturers seeking African market access, encourage technology transfer, and support domestic production of essential medical goods.
HCOWA President Mad. Jiang described the mission as “one of the most consequential engagements ever undertaken by the organisation,” adding that it reflected Ghana’s growing recognition within the global health and manufacturing ecosystem.
Participation in major conferences and forums
As part of the three-week mission, the delegation actively participated in several high-level healthcare and industrial conferences across China, each serving as a strategic platform for promoting Ghana’s investment potential.
At the 2025 Liaoning Matchmaking Conference, the team engaged with leading manufacturers, investors, and provincial authorities, discussing opportunities for cooperation in medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and industrial park development.
This was followed by participation in the 2025 Changhun Healthcare Development Conference, where the delegation contributed to dialogues on health innovation, digital healthcare expansion, and cross-border collaboration in public health systems.
In Changsha, the team joined the 2025 Changsha Pharmaceutical Matchmaking Conference, a major gathering of pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, and regulatory bodies.
Here, they presented Ghana’s growing capacity for local drug production, its commitment to international standards, and its strategic position as a gateway to the wider West African market. Beyond these flagship events, the delegation took part in a series of academic and industrial forums focused on biomedicine, medical device engineering, pharmaceutical investment, and research partnerships.
These engagements provided the delegation with in-depth insights, while offering Chinese institutions a clear understanding of Ghana’s readiness for joint ventures, technology transfer, and large-scale industrial collaboration.
These platforms allowed Ghana to present compelling opportunities in health innovation, research, production, and value-chain integration—drawing significant interest from Chinese partners.
Traditional medicine engagements and university visits
A key focus of the mission was strengthening Ghana’s traditional medicine sector.
The delegation visited universities and leading institutes driving research and clinical advancement in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
The exchanges opened pathways for partnerships in training, research, curriculum development, and the modernisation of Ghana’s traditional medicine landscape.
HCOWA President Mad. Jiang described the mission as transformative, noting that Ghana had shown exceptional readiness for large-scale medical industrial collaboration.
She said, “We are no longer waiting for opportunities to come to us. We are creating them, shaping them, and positioning Ghana as a true leader in West Africa’s medical industrial future.”
Madam Jiang added that the Chinese stakeholders they met were impressed by Ghana’s vision and long-term commitment.
“China saw a Ghana that is confident, prepared, and fully capable of becoming the gateway for health investment into the entire West African region,” she added.
She emphasised that the various engagements across provinces opened unprecedented investment prospects.
“The doors we opened during this mission will redefine how healthcare financing, manufacturing, and technology flow into Ghana for many years to come,” she finally stated.
The Registrar of the Traditional Medicine Practice Council, Dr. Yusuf Yakubu Tobor, also highlighted the significance of the mission for Ghana’s traditional medicine sector.
He said, “For the first time, Ghana has taken decisive steps to align our traditional medicine practice with global scientific standards.”
Dr. Tobor explained that the partnerships built in China would significantly strengthen Ghana’s capabilities.
“The collaborations we have secured will help restructure our training systems, deepen our research capacity, and modernise our entire traditional medicine ecosystem,” he explained.
He also expressed confidence in the long-term benefits of the mission, stating that, “We are returning home with real solutions — technology, expertise, and institutional support that will drive measurable change in Ghana’s traditional medicine sector.”
The Deputy Director for Resource Mobilisation and Coordination at the Ghana Health Service, Mr. Nicholas Nyagblornu, expressed confidence that the mission would translate into long-term value for Ghana’s health system.
He said, “This mission has given us a clearer pathway for attracting sustainable investment into Ghana’s healthcare sector. What we achieved in China goes far beyond meetings — it lays the foundation for real, measurable development.”
Mr. Nyagblornu emphasised that the engagements provided practical opportunities for technology transfer and capacity building.
He further noted, “We met institutions that are ready to support Ghana with advanced medical technologies, manufacturing partnerships, and training programmes that will strengthen our national health system.”
During the mission, the team also delivered a detailed briefing on the outcomes of the 2025 West Africa Healthcare Expo, outlining new partnerships, investment opportunities, and the evolving health landscape of the region.
The report is expected to further enhance investor confidence and guide future China–Ghana engagements.
Laying the groundwork for the 2026 China–West Africa Medical Summit & Expo
HCOWA used the mission to generate early visibility for the 2026 HCOWA China–West Africa Medical Summit & Expo, anticipated to be one of the largest health and industrial platforms bridging Asia and West Africa, which will take place from 17th to 21st August 2025 at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Final courtesy call at the Ghana Embassy in Beijing
The mission concluded with a courtesy call to the Ghana Embassy in Beijing, where the delegation briefed embassy officials on achievements, emerging partnerships, and the next steps for strengthening Ghana’s health sector through international collaboration.
The three-week working visit underscored HCOWA’s commitment to driving international cooperation, fostering investment-driven development, and positioning Ghana as a strategic gateway for healthcare innovation and industrial growth in West Africa.
From PRINCE OPOKU DOGBEY, China
