Universal Healthcare: A possibility in Africa?
Global health is certainly a pressing issue and the fact that it is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) is testament to that. There are countless number of people who have dedicated themselves to fighting this challenge, and there are some great projects that are being implemented in the world over. Despite all this progress and motivation, one major challenge that is universally faced in the progress towards global health and well being is the cost of healthcare. From the healthcare industries perspective, some of these costs are justified. After all, it does take an exorbitant amount of money for research and development of new medicines and medical devices. However, in the developing world, a number of people live in abject poverty, and it is in these poor conditions that some of the worst health outcomes are found. The need for universal health care is greater than ever in many of these nations, and the progress that is being made in Kenya is presenting encouraging signs that this idea could very well become a reality in a region of the world that needs it the most.
Kenya is considered by many to be one of the fastest developing nations in East Africa and yet, every year near one million people are pushed below the poverty line. Those who aren’t below the poverty line, have no access to medical insurance (almost every four out of five Kenyans) and as a result have to pay for their medical costs out of pocket. To a Kenyan, medical costs can result in twenty percent of their income, a sizeable chunk that undoubtedly deters millions away from getting the appropriate treatment, leading to the exacerbation of problems. Those who do bite the nail and pay for the treatment put themselves at serious risk of falling into a poverty trap.
To make universal health care a reality in the continent of Africa requires a staggering fifty percent increase in doctors as compared to the three percent required in Europe. Though this may seem grim, there has been great progress towards meeting the various requirements in Kenya. A country that previously was not spending the required amount of their GDP on healthcare as per the Abuja declaration (15% of the annual government income will be dedicated to the provision of healthcare) has moved to eliminate payments in public facilities for primary and maternal healthcare. Such political moves are good indications for the changing value associated with healthcare in the regions. Governments now recognize the importance of the availability of healthcare for their citizens and are working in collaboration with international organizations to rapidly reduce the inequality in the health care sector.
The prospect of such an initiative taking place is exciting but more importantly motivating to the scientific community, as it reinforces that their efforts to combine technology and science to address these issues has a higher chance of impacting the people they intended it for. In a region that is often associated with issues such as corruption, such news is a welcome sight and something to be celebrated.