Healthy populations are critical for Africa’s long-term economic growth, increasing economic gains through raised productivity, job creation and the promotion of equality. However, Africa’s health-care systems require significant investments to meet the needs of their populations and to address changing patterns of ill health across the continent.
The provision of health care in Africa, however, is constrained by a lack of public funds and limited and unpredictable donor funding. As part of innovative efforts to find a sustainable way to strengthen national health systems across the continent, African public and private sector leaders came together at the Africa Business Health Forum on 12 February to promote dialogue and identify opportunities for collaboration.
“Prioritizing health is a political choice and spending on health must be considered as an investment and not a cost. Investments in health are investments in human capital,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. The Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, added, “We need affordable and quality health care for all, spearheaded by governments and the private sector working collaboratively to enable equitable access.”
During the event, which was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the sidelines of the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union, the Healthcare and Economic Growth in Africa report was launched. The report will help to guide investments and shape narratives around health in Africa. It highlights opportunities where governments and the private sector can work together to improve health outcomes and ensure quality health care that is accessible for all.
“By 2030, an estimated 14% of all business opportunities in the health and well-being sector globally will be in Africa, second only to North America. This is a huge opportunity for the private sector,” said Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
Also at the event, the African Business Coalition for Health—a platform designed to mobilize a core group of private sector champions to unlock synergies and advance health outcomes to build healthy economies throughout Africa—was launched.
“It is clear that African governments alone cannot solve the continent's health challenges. We have no alternative but to turn to the private sector to complement government funding,” said Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman of the Africa Initiative for Governance and Co-Chair, GBC Health.
