Nigeria has been identified as one of the severely health stressed countries in Africa at the 32nd Summit of the African Union (AU), as the country spends less on health than they should relative to their Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Healthcare delivery in Nigeria has experienced progressive deterioration due largely to weakened political will on the part of successive governments to effectively solve a number of problems that have accumulated in the sector over years. This directly impacts the productivity of citizens and by extension Nigeria’s economic growth.
Kenya’s health minister, Sicily K. Kariuki, says Kenya is a role model for driving private sector capital into health: “We have $4.5 billion invested from the private sector in health; it’s projected this can grow to upwards of $11 billion in the next 10 years.”
The Healthcare and Economic Growth in Africa report launched February 12 at Africa Health Business Forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, discloses that Angola, Chad, Mauritania, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Zimbabwe spend less in health, disease is high and there is a low density of skilled workers in these countries.
Michel Sidibe, executive director, UNAIDS, says Africa Business Health Forum is promoting a critical dialogue between African private and public sectors on strengthening national health systems in Africa, as prioritising health financing is a political choice, spending on health must be considered as an investment and not a cost, and investments in health are investments in human capital.
“Without making health a right for every single citizen it will not be possible for us to achieve our dreams of 2030,” he states.
However, demonstrating their strong commitment to the health and well being of their populations and to improve access to health, Nigerian business mogul, Aliko Dangote, through his Foundation, launched in Addis Ababa on Tuesday, African Health Coalition together with more than 10 companies joining the African Business Coalition on Health “ABCHealth.”
“One percent of the company’s after tax returns is for health activities in Africa,” Dangote says, represented by his daughter, Halima Aliko-Dangote, executive director of the Dangote Group.
“I am ready to work with African leaders in helping fix the continent’s health challenges. However, a healthy Africa can achieve sustainable and inclusive growth,” he states.
According to a report issued by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, there is a $66 billion financing gap in the healthcare annually. Calling for public private partnership, Vera Songwe, executive secretary with the UNECA, notes that there are potential economic opportunities in tune of $450 billion investment in the health sector across Africa.
“Africa imports $14 billion worth of its pharmaceuticals. The health and wellness sector has potential to create 16 million jobs. We should no longer export those jobs. We should bring them back,” she advises.
