Mauel speaking at the Africa Peer Review Mechanism Meeting
After Universal Health Coverage Day in December, we highlight an African leader whose work shows how investing in health systems can improve lives while creating economic opportunities. I was impressed to hear how strong, inclusive, and technology-enabled health systems can generate jobs, support communities, and open new pathways for Africa’s growing youth population. Here is a summary of our conversation!
I spoke with Manuel Ntumba, a Congolese-Togolese development economist and international banker whose work spans multilateral funds, global partnerships, and World Bank Group initiatives. As Executive Vice President and Managing Partner of Tod’Aérs Global Network (TGN), he works across health, environment, governance, and digital transformation. His experience reflects a new generation of African leaders turning policy ideas into practical, measurable impact.
How did your journey into global health begin?
I began my career in satellite telecommunications and geoinformatics as a research engineer working on advanced systems. Early on, I was granted a patent by the Indian Patent Office for a satellite communication and object-detection system, an experience that anchored my approach to systems thinking, data governance, and risk analysis. As I progressively engaged with governments and multilateral institutions, it became clear that the analytical frameworks used in aerospace engineering are equally applicable to global health governance and service delivery.
This perspective guided my transition into international development, where I worked with UNEP, the African Union and the World Bank Group. I now serve as Executive Vice President & Managing Partner of TGN, leading advisory work on governance, risk and compliance, impact evaluation, portfolio performance and digital innovation.
Since March 2025, I have also served on the RBM Partnership’s Steering Committee on Advocacy, Communications and Resource Mobilization. Within this platform, I contribute to advancing evidence-based advocacy and financing strategies for global malaria elimination. Why? Because malaria alone reduces annual GDP growth by 0.5% to 1.3% in high-burden African countries. Strengthening health systems is therefore not only a public-health priority but a macroeconomic necessity.
From your experience with TGN and its partners, what should Africa focus on first to accelerate Universal Health Coverage?
First, UHC cannot rely on short-term or fragmented projects. Countries need strong, multi-year governance frameworks, reliable financing, and clear systems to track results. Experience from large-scale development programs shows that well-designed governance structures improve efficiency and help health services continue beyond donor-funded cycles.
Second, health systems must be resilient to economic shocks and political changes. This means embedding UHC into national budgets, strengthening domestic resource mobilization, and using blended and concessional financing where appropriate. Strong financing structures can create more predictable fiscal space for long-term health investment.
Finally, digital health can significantly expand access to care. Tools such as telemedicine, digital diagnostics, and disease surveillance can help reach underserved populations, especially where specialists are concentrated in major cities. To be effective, digital health investments must be paired with strong data governance, quality standards, and digital skills for health workers and communities.
Together, these pillars make UHC achievable and sustainable over time.
The health sector could create millions of jobs for young people. From your experience, how can Africa build the workforce it needs?
Job creation in health depends on three key factors: early exposure, skills development, and stable financing. Introducing young people to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and health-related fields early helps build a strong talent pipeline. This must be matched with investments in technical and digital skills, including those that support health logistics, data, and emergency response. Predictable financing is essential to sustain jobs across health systems. Together, these elements position Africa’s youth to drive a resilient, technology-enabled health workforce.
Looking back, is there a moment that captures the kind of impact you hope to make?
A defining experience for me was serving as African Union Youth Advisor on Disaster Risk Reduction in 2023, where I worked with the AU CDC youth network on the COVID-19 Vaccination Bingwa Initiative. Seeing young people mobilize communities, build trust, and drive digital health innovations, from telemedicine platforms to emergency medical transport, reinforced my conviction that Africa’s youth are not just beneficiaries of health reforms, but key drivers of innovation and stronger health systems.
Are you hopeful about the future of health in Africa?
I remain hopeful, cautiously, but deeply so. But hope alone is not enough. Every year, preventable gaps in health systems cost families their livelihoods and communities their future. I have also seen the determination, creativity, and technical strength of Africa’s youth, and it is impossible not to believe in what they can achieve. With real accountability, clear policy choices, and bold investment in resilient health systems, lives can be saved and futures protected. Africa cannot wait until 2063 to deliver quality healthcare for all. The urgency is now, and the responsibility lies with us today.
Join the Conversation