By Alice Etuka, Abuja
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that Africa made significant progress in ensuring better health outcomes for its people over the past decade.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti stated this on Sunday, April 7, 2024 at the closing ceremony of WHO’s 75th Anniversary and commemoration of the 2024 World Health Day.
Moeti announced that, “more mothers and children are surviving today than before. From 2000 to 2020, the life expectancy of African women increased from 54 to 67 years; the maternal mortality ratio decreased by 33% (from 788 to 531 maternal deaths per 100 000 lives), and the number of children dying before the age of 5 was reduced by 50% from 2000 to 2017”.
She added that, “between 2011 and 2021, the number of new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths decreased by 44% and 55%, respectively, across Africa, and the number of TB deaths decreased by 26%.
“In addition, several diseases are on the verge of eradication and elimination, including polio, guinea worm disease, as well as maternal and neonatal tetanus”.
She therefore, applauded the African region Member States’ efforts to accelerate progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and noted that they were reforming their health policies and revamping legislative and regulatory frameworks, including National Health Insurance Schemes (NHIS) and Social Health Insurance (SHI) schemes to reduce catastrophic out-of-pocket health expenditures.
Moeti averred that health was not only a fundamental human right, but also central to peace and prosperity. Thus, addressing health inequities requires intentional efforts.
She however said considerations of vulnerable groups must be assessed and their needs purposively integrated into health programmes at all levels to accelerate progress toward UHC:
“We know that many in our region still need help with access to quality essential health services due largely to unfulfilled rights. This is further compounded by protracted and ongoing crises such as conflicts, climate change, food insecurity, disease outbreaks, and epidemics.
“The number of people aged 15 and over living with HIV is still high at an estimated 24.3 million in 2021 (3.4 % of the total population) compared to 15.6 million in 2005. This reflects the continued transmission of HIV despite reductions in the incidence of people newly infected and the benefits of significantly expanded access to antiretrovirals.
“Disparities in the coverage of key reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health interventions remain significant, with the rural dweller, the poor, and those in hard-to-reach areas being the most disadvantaged. Furthermore, about 8% of the population in the African Region is still experiencing catastrophic health expenditures”, she said.
The theme for this year’s World Health Day (WHD) celebration is, “My Health, My Right”.
