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HEALTH INTERACTIVE WITH DR. AMINU MAGASHI Africa’s Development on the Agenda of Western Countries healthinteractive@hotmail.com Of recent, Africa’s needs for rapid growth and development have become part and parcel of all conferences’ discussion around Economic Growth and Improved Health Care Delivery Services and above all the attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. It is very obvious even to a cursory observer of events that Africa is lagging behind and will be almost impossible to achieve the set targets of MDGs Every one is talking tough with passion about the need to support the continent towards getting rid of Illiteracy, Poverty and Diseases ravaging the continent . In his Keynote Speech at the Institut français des relations Internationales (IFRI) “Africa: The Road to opportunity in Paris (18/10/06), Mr Paul Wolfowitz, World Bank President noted that: “When I joined the World Bank 16 months ago I said that Africa and the challenges that it confronts simply had to be our first priority. And I said that based on the appreciation of the enormous needs of Sub-Saharan Africa. But, every time I set foot in a new corner of Africa, and I now have been able to visit 11 countries so far, my commitment to this tremendously important continent has been reinforced, not just by the needs that I have seen, but reinforced by seeing the extraordinary energy and ambition of Africans and by seeing their enormous potential to transform the subcontinent. ……. our ‘Africa Action Plan’. Let me briefly discuss four key areas in which we are focusing our support - Education, Health, Private Sector Development, and Infrastructure.”
Mr
Paul, when ever he talks
about Africa, one would have the impression as if the World Bank has never
being there before. However, since 70s/80s when many African countries
suffered economic crises, World Bank has always being there with its
prescription formulae. Either by act of omission or commission, the bank
will surely take some blames over the many numerous failed economic
policies in Africa.
In
her acceptance speech, Dr Margaret Chan, World Health Organisation (W.H.O)
Director General Elect (9/11/06) emphasized that “What
matters most to me is people. And two specific groups of people in
particular. I want us to be judged by the impact we have on the health of
the people of Africa, and the health of women. … Improvements in the
health of the people of Africa and the health of women are key indicators
of the performance of WHO…..All regions, all countries, all people are
equally important. This is a health organization for the whole world. Our
work must touch on the lives of everyone, everywhere," she said. "But we
must focus our attention on the people in greatest need." Both the World Bank and W.H.O draw their major source of funding from the western countries, with America being the highest share holder in World Bank and equally the leading donor country to W.H.O. Other big share holders and donors are the United Kingdom and France. In line with that, any policy on Africa coming from the two multi lateral institutions must have the blessing of the Western Countries . In another interesting phenomenon, United Kingdom ( U.K ) is interested in exploring opportunities for health workers to return from the U.K to their countries for extended periods to help improve health services. The U.K Department for International Development’s White Paper (June 06) on eliminating world poverty has among its focus “Good Governance and Improving Health.” On pages 56-57 of the white paper, it is noted that “The highest problem many countries face is not having enough doctors, nurses and support staff. This has been made even worse by AIDS and by highly trained health professionals leaving to work in richer countries including the U.K. Sub Saharan Africa needs nearly 1.5 million more health workers.” In tackling the African health staff crises, the paper mentioned that U.K will help partners to solve their staffing crises by
For anyone passionate and concern about Africa’s growth , survival and improvement of health services , the last strategy by the U.K would be seen as a very good omen towards revitalising the almost collapsed health sectors all over Sub Saharan Africa . I share that sentiment that Africans must go back home to solve their problems, as no one will do that for them . How the U.K intends to achieve that remain to be seen. One factor to consider is the rights of the Africans in Diaspora who were funded and supported educationally by their various governments only to flee to greener posture when the system collapsed and of course aggravated by the dwindling economy of the nations . Another factor also is to ensure creation of enabling environment to enable those willing to come back cope and function effectively. That policy needs to be handled carefully and strategically through engaging in frank discussion with the Africans in Diaspora and their various governments at home . The West is talking about Africa, are the Africans singing the same tune? Are they willing to prioritise their needs and negotiate with the West what is good for them from the African perspectives? Is Dr Margaret willing to move the discussion beyond HIV/AIDS and Polio Eradication in Africa to accommodate issues like Malnutrition, the mother of all evils and other equally sinister Infectious Diseases? Is the Wold Bank willing to dialogue with the common man in Africa through the voices of Civil Society Organisations and organised Media to appraise harsh economic realities , worsen health indicators and poverty . Many African countries are celebrating their macro –economic policies and their consolidated foreign reserve, all that would be meaningless if the common man cannot feed, have a good roof on his head, live with his neighbour without any fear of invasion, insecurity, war and conflict and to afford basic health care services within his reach and to send his children to a good school. In conclusion, it is pertinent to emphasize that for any meaningful developmental and/or health policy to have any positive impact on African soil. It must be evidence based and Africans must partake in articulating the policy, setting the priorities and the agenda and taking the lead towards successful implementation. Dr. Aminu Magashi is a Masters Degree Student (Public Health) at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He is also a director with Community Health and Research Initiative, Kano, Nigeria. He can be reached at gamagashi@gmail.com or healthinteractive@hotmail.com
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