Lomé – As Africa strives to get well from the deepfelt influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, well being authorities and consultants gathering this week for the Seventy-second session of the World Well being Group (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa launched a brand new drive to search out methods of revamping the area’s well being techniques.
At a particular occasion on Rethinking and rebuilding resilient well being techniques in Africa in the course of the 22 – 26 August Regional Committee assembly in Lomé, Togo, delegates examined the measures which have labored in reaching common entry to well being care in addition to the shortfalls. In addition they explored methods to keep up important providers throughout outbreaks and the investments and actions wanted to make sure equitable entry to high quality medical merchandise and well being applied sciences.
“The scope and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic put nice stress on Senegal’s well being system,” mentioned Dr Marie Khemesse Ngom Ndiaye, Senegal’s Minister of Well being. However “due to (its) Resilience Programme and Funding Plan, Senegal’s well being system has significantly strengthened illness prevention and administration capacities.”
COVID-19 has not solely exerted huge stress on well being techniques but in addition sounded the alarm on the necessity to reform and revitalize the continent’s well being techniques. At the same time as international locations stepped up measures together with surveillance, prevention, scientific care and vaccination within the wake of the pandemic, additional efforts are important to render the well being techniques extra strong and resilient.
The pandemic has additionally added to the African area’s present well being challenges. Greater than some other a part of the world, the area responds to greater than 100 well being emergencies yearly. Throughout emergencies many international locations face shutdowns of well being programmes because of workers reassignments, provide chain disruptions in addition to motion restrictions. These disruptions undermine progress in direction of common well being protection and lay naked inequities in entry to well being care.
“The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the fragility of our continent’s well being infrastructure and the pressing have to strengthen the general well being system to safe entry to high quality look after all Africa’s individuals, when and the place they want it, with out incurring monetary hardship,” mentioned Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director to Africa. “Home funding in well being, together with well being analysis, has important financial returns, whereas selling resilience and sustainability; wholesome populations translate to wholesome economies.”
Regardless of the disruptions because of outbreaks and different challenges, African international locations have made progress in bettering entry to well being providers. For instance, the variety of international locations scoring over 40% (“medium protection”) on the common well being protection index has elevated from three out of 47 international locations to 35 between 2000 and 2019.
The particular occasion launched on the Regional Committee kicks off a collective course of to assist African international locations as they ramp up efforts to get well from the pandemic-triggered disruptions and work to rebuild higher their well being techniques. A collection of consultations and actions will observe to assist international locations in reaching common well being protection and well being safety.