African health systems at risk of 'collapse in next few years'

(CLO) Health systems in Africa could collapse in the next few years due to the rapid increase in chronic diseases, warned Dr. Githinji Gitahi, Director General of Amref Health Africa.

He said foreign aid mainly focuses on infectious diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis, instead of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes and hypertension.

In sub-Saharan Africa, the proportion of deaths due to non-communicable diseases increased from 24% in 2000 to 37% in 2019 and is expected to become the leading cause of death by 2030. This is largely due to sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy Western diets and air pollution.

Mr. Gitahi at the Global NCD Alliance Forum in Kigail, Rwanda. Photo: NCD Alliance

Speaking at the Global NCD Alliance Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, Mr. Gitahi stressed that 50% of hospital admissions in African hospitals are related to non-communicable diseases and 80% of treatment costs are paid by patients themselves.

He warned that if countries do not have enough resources to address the issue, the region’s health systems will collapse. Mr Gitahi also criticised the dominance of multinational corporations in the health market.

He argues that foreign aid is not charity, but a tool to protect the interests of donor countries. As a result, the bulk of global health aid budgets – less than 3% – go to non-communicable diseases, while infectious diseases are given priority due to their risk of spreading across borders.

The US government’s freeze on much of the foreign aid budget has severely affected Amref’s operations. Mr. Gitahi revealed that the organization runs projects worth about $250 million a year, of which $50 million comes from partnerships with the US government .

Many Amref employees have been placed on unpaid leave, and Mr. Gitahi hopes some projects can be restarted after a 90-day review under the Trump administration’s policy.

US aid currently accounts for about 50% of total development aid to Africa, or $6.5 billion of the $13 billion total. Mr. Gitahi acknowledged that African economies are not strong enough to fully replace this funding, and that countries may have to adjust their health service delivery targets, focusing on the poorest groups of the population rather than the entire population.

Finally, he called on the international community to recognise that a weak health system not only affects Africa but also threatens global security. “When a country has a weak health system, it is like having unsafe airspace – it puts the whole world at risk,” Mr Gitahi warned.

Ngoc Anh (according to AHF, Guardian, UN)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/he-thong-y-te-chau-phi-co-nguy-co-sup-do-trong-vai-nam-toi-post336387.html