Small investment could save 11 million African lives

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Editor -  A worldwide effort is being launched to help African save the lives of 11 million African women and children, which an organization says can be done through key life-saving interventions.

In a news release accenting the help that is needed across the world, The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health and the Countdown to 2015 Decade Report (2000-2010) launch an effort designed to inform people about the desperate need of the African people.

The Countdown report lists the following interventions that include: antenatal care, emergency care at the time of birth, post-natal care, treatment of childhood illnesses, and immunization, among others.  Estimated costs of these interventions are an additional $32 billion, or about $8 per person per year over the next five years. This would allow 95 percent population coverage.

This achievement would bring most African countries in line with UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5, which call for reducing the number of deaths among children under 5 by two thirds, and reducing maternal deaths by three-quarters by 2015, according to The Partnership group..

Africa, with 11 percent of the world’s population, accounts for more than half of its maternal and child deaths, 85 percent of malaria cases and 72 percent of HIV/AIDS related deaths. The continent also has the world’s lowest average life expectancy, experiences the highest proportional yearly increases in communicable diseases, and faces an ever-growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.

Countdown to 2015, a global scientific and advocacy movement, tracks progress in maternal and children health in 68 high-burden countries where more than 95% of all maternal and child deaths occur. In its 2010 report, Countdown found that 49 out of the 68 high burden countries are not on track to meet MDG 4 on child health goals.

As Africa's health problems continue to interrupt its progress in many other areas, African leaders both in health and in government are stepping up and declaring it takes leadership in the separate countries, taking responsibility for the citizenry and making a commitment to better health as a way of moving forward in the 21st century.

“Africa’s ministers of health need tools to help them make the case for more spending,” says Modou Diagne Fada, Minister of Health of Senegal. “Yet more money and better use of the money is needed to further improve health outcomes of our population, especially that of women and children.”

Findings from the Countdown to 2015 report, as well as the Joint Action Plan, point to the need for stronger financial, political and service delivery commitments for the improvement of the health of women and children, particularly in Africa.

The main topic and theme of this year’s African Union Summit, to be held in Kampala, Uganda, July 19-27, is “Maternal, Infant and Child Health and Development in Africa.”

The focus on the health of women and children is also gaining impetus beyond Africa with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in April announcing the development of a Joint Action Plan to strengthen the worldwide effort to improve the health of women and children.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Mrs. Asha-Rose Migiro, who will address the African Union Summit, says the Joint Action Plan relies on collaboration, contributions and accountability among the groups involved in the effort.

“African leaders have recognized that the health of women and children is essential to the health of a nation, and that investing in women and children’s health makes good economic sense. The emphasis of this year's AU Summit also recognizes that health and development are inextricably linked,” she says. “2010 marks a five-year point to assess our progress and accelerate our efforts toward achieving all of the Millennium Development Goals. I urge African governments to reaffirm their commitment towards improving the health of women and children.”

 The health needs and issues are startling, but a major impact on the negative numbers can be done by 2015 with a concerted effort by the international community, global health alliances focusing on the issues of women and children underline.

Poor health of citizens has made it difficult for economic development in Africa. Global yearly losses in productivity attributed to maternal and newborn health problems alone amount to $15 billion.

“Not to invest in the health of African populations would be to fail them, especially when we know how much is required and what we stand to gain,”says Graca Machel, an advocate for African women and the wife of Nelson Mandela.

Health spending has for too long been viewed by stakeholders as a consumption cost, according to Netsanet W. Workie, senior health economist for the World Bank’s Africa Region.

“The truth is that a rather modest additional investment in health can save millions of lives in these countries, improve the overall health of their populations, strengthen their health systems, and provide economic gains through increased productivity of their national workforces,” says Workie.

“We have the tools to improve maternal health and child survival,” says Flavia Bustreo, M.D., Director of The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health, a group of more than 300 organizations, foundations,institutions, and countries that is a leader in the effort to improve maternal and child health. “What we need is the political will and commitment to make it happen.”

“This is a multi-layered problem that can be addressed with a combination of many,very simple interventions. No single intervention is sufficient,”explains Pius Okong, M.D., of the Uganda Christian University, Head of Department Ob/Gyn at San Raphael of St. Francis Hospital Nsambya,Uganda, and member of the International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

“There are multiple interventions and practices that have been proven to save lives. What is required is sufficient coverage of these different interventions along the continuum of care including family planning,breastfeeding, hand washing, skilled attendance at delivery, and childhood immunizations.

“What we also need is community engagement to keep leaders accountable; political leadership is a necessary complement to the additional funding that we require,” Dr. Okong says.

Poor health spending on the continent contributes to Africa’s dire health status. Despite multiple health problems, spending in Sub-Saharan Africa is the lowest in the world, averaging $24 per person per year, followed by South Asia with average spending of $31, and by East Asia and the Pacific with $71.

“The emphasis is always on the need for more external aid, but internal funds are the main source of health funding,” notes Workie of The World Bank.

“National authorities need to recognize and honor their financial commitments on health,”she said.