African Health
While Africa is the repository of great natural beauty, its people are suffering. About 18-20% of the world’s deaths in a year are from the African countries. The causes of this high death rate are varied, such as HIV/AIDS, lower respiratory tract infections, malaria, diarrhea, cerebrovascular disease, heart disease, tuberculosis, measles, low birth weight, birth asphyxia, birth trauma and maternal conditions. Although there is significant change and improvement in the African health scenario, there are still many staggering challenges to be overcome. Some of them include:
Leadership and governmental challenges: There is very little money allotted to healthcare and the legislation's pertaining to health, immunization, sanitation etc. are inadequate. Research and the serious study of health improvement is also quite neglected. Due to this, 47% of the population do not get any access to good health services and 59% of pregnant women go into labor and delivery with absolutely no medical assistance. With regard to the basic amenities of water and sanitation which are the main factors in the spread of communicable diseases, 64% of the population have no access to sanitation facilities and 42% still do not get clean water to drink.
Shortage of medical professionals: Across the world there is an extreme shortage of qualified medics in 57 countries and 36 of these countries are in Africa. Even the few doctors and nurses who are there are located in the big cities and many leave in search of better opportunities and facilities abroad. This worsens the state of African health care in the rural areas.
Corruption: There is no integrity, transparency and accountability in any of the processes related to the supply, prices, use, quality and safety of medical products and technology. The sad outcome of this is that close to 50% of the people do not get a regular supply of essential medicines and other products.
The African health situation is one of the worst in the world today and requires sustained effort by those in power and international aid agencies, to overcome these challenges.
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