Globally, the health sector, science, and technology industries have experienced significant growth and development for the last 50 years when compared to more than 500 years before the 20th century (Omigbodun, 2017). The health sector has experienced significant growth as in term of infrastructure, education, income as well as regarding opportunities. Additionally, public health strategic intervention plans and improved socioeconomic factors have significantly reduced mortality rate while on at the same time improving the life expectancy (Kirigia, 2013). Unfortunately, the health gains and developments have not experience universally as some countries are still lagging behind. Some of the continents that have demonstrated significant disparities and lagging behind regarding healthcare accessibility are the African continent (Spielberg & Adams, 2011).
Healthcare is one of the essential need for a better growth and development as well as the general well- being of human being. Both the developing and developed nations have from the past recorded significant growth and development in the health sector. However, the African continent remains as one of the under-developed continents regarding health sector when compared with other developing nation (Omigbodun, 2017). Despite the precious natural resource, readily available and cheap labor as well as the availability of adequate expansive land in the African continent, the continent has serious challenges that hinder the Africans especially those from the sub-Saharan region to access basic human needs such as food, shelter, and healthcare.
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The African continent has recorded severe traditional health problems such as HIV and Malaria since 1980’s. However, due to the increasing rate of improved leaving standards in the African continent, the health sector today is faced with numerous communicable as well as non-communicable diseases (Spielberg & Adams, 2011). In the recent past, statistics indicate that there are relatively high rates of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, as well as obesity which are serious health challenges facing the African continent (Kirigia, 2013).
It is, however, essential to indicate that the African continent continues to suffer high rates of HIV and Malaria cases, even though most of the developing and developed countries have significantly managed to control and reduce the rates of deaths that arise from the two diseases (Spielberg & Adams, 2011). For example, statistics indicate that HIV continues to be a threat to the WHO Africa region which has a population totaling 11% of the world population. Despite the small percentage of the people in the area, statistics indicate that approximately 67% of the African population is suffering from HIV/ AIDS (Omigbodun, 2017). Additionally, of the 300-500 malaria cases reported in the whole world, 90% of the cases are reported in the African region (Omigbodun, 2017). Additionally, the African continent has recorded a high mortality rate for all generations as well as reduced life expectancy among the population. The above data demonstrates threatening health conditions in the African continent. The under-developed and weak state of the health sector in the African continent can be attributed to various contributing factors.
Low Budget Allocation
Firstly it is essential to indicate that the majority of the African countries allocated relatively low budget to the health sector. As a result the health sector lacks adequate funds and resource to develop the health sector (Kirigia, 2013). Additionally, the inadequate funds also lead to high congestion rates experienced in the African health facilities. Existing literature also indicates that, in most health facilities in this region, they have inadequate resources such as drugs, outdated treatment equipment as well as insufficient staff due to lack of funds to equip the health facility with the necessary and adequate resources ((Durojaye, 2016). In 2001, the African Union nations signed the Abuja Declaration which required the African countries in the African Union to allocate approximately 15% of their national budget to the health sector (Durojaye, 2016). However, the commitment has not been realized by a majority of the nations in Africa. Additionally, the average spending in the health sector for SSA region does not exceed more than 5 percent of GDP. However, in the African countries, they spend less than US$10 per person on an annual basis. The US $10, is relatively low when compared with the minimum required expenditure which sums to approximately US$ 27 (Spielberg & Adams, 2011).
Health Disparities
In addition to inadequate funds as a significant contributing factor to the poor health condition experienced in the African continent, it is also important to indicate that health disparities in the region also contribute to health problems in Africa (Omigbodun, 2017). Statistics indicate that in African there is a high percentage of poverty level especially in the rural areas where people have inadequate access to social amenities such as health services and education (Omigbodun, 2017). Additionally, the high illiteracy rate among the African population is also a critical factor that contributed to health problems. Statistics indicate that people living in the rural areas have limited access to health facilities and for those living in the urban center, the health facilities have high standards and provide expensive treatment which in turn hinder people from middle and low class to access the healthcare services (Kirigia, 2013).
High Poverty Levels
High poverty levels in the African regions also contribute to the poor condition of the health sector in the region. For example, according to statistics from UNDP Human Development Report (2004) as well as the World Bank World Development Report (1997), approximately 54% of the sub-Saharan African population was living in absolute poverty. Disappointingly, the poor are the most vulnerable and at risk of a hazardous environment as well as lack adequate information regarding a health threat which further exposes them to more health challenges. Further statistics indicate that more than 50% of the African continent population have no access to well- equipped and modernized health facilities (Spielberg & Adams, 2011). The poor have limited access to health care services which include healthcare information such as prevention information, limited access to vaccinations and drugs among other health care services and resources. Also, 40 % of the population lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation. As a result, the 40% are subjected to poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water which further poses health problems to the population (Durojaye, 2016). As a result, the poverty and health inequalities in the African region have significantly contributed to the poor state of the health sector in the region.
Workforce shortage
Africa Continent is considered as one of the regions with a high level of laborers. However, it is essential to indicate that the region has reportedly recorded deficit of healthcare workforce which in turn contributes to the health challenges faced in the region. Existing statistics suggest that approximately 57 countries suffer from workforce shorted in the health sector, 36 of the 57 states are in Africa (Sheikh et al., 2015). The shortage of health workforce in Africa has primarily been attributed to inequalities experienced in the workforce as well as due to brain drain whereby the trained individuals from the region are employed and are working in other continents.
Additionally, the inadequate health workforce in Africa also results from the migration of its professionals, early retirement as well as high rates of mortality experienced in the region (Kirigia, 2013). The low workforce in the area also contributes to poor health services owing to excess workload among the working health workers. For example, statistics indicate that Africa has 2.3 million health workers serving per 1000 people (Durojaye, 2016). The statistics are relatively low when compared with the American health care workforce which is approximately 24. 8 per 1000 individuals (Durojaye, 2016). Further statistics indicate that about 59% of the pregnant women in the African region deliver without the help of a skilled and qualified health worker (Durojaye, 2016). The above statistics demonstrate the shortage of workforce in Africa health facilities even though the region has been considered as one of the areas with a high level of human resource.
Inappropriate Leadership And High Levels Of Corruption
The African continent has been on record for high corruption levels as well as poor leadership which has adversely affected the health sector in the region. Statistics indicate that inappropriate management of health funds have l tread to the underdevelopment of the health facilities in the African continent (Durojaye, 2016). Additionally, poor management of the health sector has also lead to inadequate health resources such as the availability of drugs, beds for inpatients and insufficient workforce to care for the ever increasing number of patients in the African region (Omigbodun, 2017). Additionally, poor health leadership and corruption in the health sector in the African region have also been blamed for the underdevelopment of the health sector regarding technological advancements, infrastructure, health commodities, and medicine (Durojaye, 2016). Lack of transparency and accountability in the health sector of the African continent adversely affect the quality and quantity of healthcare facilities and services.
Conclusion
The African region has from the past suffered health care problems which continue to influence the quality of health services in the area. In 2005, there were approximately 58.03 million deaths in the whole world (Durojaye, 2016). Interestingly approximately 10.9 million deaths of the 58.03 million were from the African region. The deaths experienced in Africa 64% resulted from HIV/ AIDS, 19% low respiratory infection, 8 % malaria, 4 % heart related diseases and conditions, 7% diarrheal diseases, 3% TB, 3% measles, 2% birth weight and 2% maternal associated diseases and conditions among other minor disorders (Durojaye, 2016). It is essential to indicate that the different governments in the African continent have from the past put measures to enhance the health sectors. However, the efforts are adversely affected by factors such as inadequate leadership leading to corruption and low budgetary allocation for the health sector. Other contributing factors include insufficient workforce, insufficient and outdated health facilities and equipment, health inequalities, high poverty levels in the region as well as the inaccessibility of health facilities. The African continent has been termed as an under-developed region among the developing continent when evaluated regarding health sector. Ironically, the African region has a range of resources such as land that can be used to expand and available and cheap labor among other resources that can be utilized to improve the health sector in the region.
References
Durojaye, E. (2016). Litigating the right to health in Africa: Challenges and prospects . Routledge.
Kirigia, J. M. (2013). The efficiency of health system units in Africa: A data envelopment analysis . Nairobi: University of Nairobi Press.
Omigbodun, O. (2017). Contemporary issues in mental health care in sub-Saharan Africa . Bodija, Ibadan: Bookbuilders, Editions Africa.
Sheikh, M., Mahamoud, A., & Househ, M. (2015). Transforming public health in developing nations . Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference, an imprint of IGI Global
Spielberg, L. A., & Adams, L. V. (2011). Africa: A practical guide for global health workers . Hanover, N.H: Dartmouth College Press.
