03 Sep 2023

Africa continues to grapple with notable challenges in its pursuit to eradicate HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria by 2030 in line with global health objectives.

With the Global Fund providing about 70 per cent of health resources to Africa, as well as receiving support from other philanthropic Global Health Initiatives (GHIs) to achieve universal health for all, it is crucial for African countries to unite and prioritise their health initiatives.

To optimize the impact of Global Fund in eradicating problematic diseases, African countries have been urged to plan and prioritise and coordinate to guarantee efficient resource allocation, addressing each country’s distinct health needs as well as aligning them with national, regional, and global health goals.

The recent WHO Africa Regional Committee (RC73) Coference in Gaborone has appealed for collective action amongst African health ministers and other stakeholders, capitalising more on the Global Fund, GAVI and other GHI investments for strengthening of health services.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti said the discussion was on the support that could be provided to member states of the African region in defining common priorities and to convey them to decision making bodies of the Global Health Initiatives such as Global Fund and PEPFAR among others.

Dr Moeti said the global health initiatives played an important role in improving the health of African people.

“They have been staunch partners and supporters in the region for many decades and have helped our countries deliver remarkable results in the different areas that they support,” she said.

However, Dr Moeti said the region had recognised that they were revising and reviewing some of their priorities and as such experience had shown that it was important for African countries to caucus, share ideas on their priority areas.

Dr Moeti also indicated that global health initiatives were supporting a broadening range of areas and over the years they had been working on strengthening health systems towards universal health coverage to decreasing inequalities and ensuring that the desired results were achieved.

She said common health priority were defined and agreed upon by the ministers of health through the adoption of strategies and resolutions at the regional committees.

Therefore, Dr Moeti said WHO gave health ministers to reflect on their priorities and agree on strategies that were to be implemented within the countries and collectively by the region.

Dr Moeti said in supporting problematic health areas within the African region, the WHO secretariat was working on day to day basis with ministers of health and other concerned stakeholders in the sector in order to support countries to develop their own strategies and plans in line with what was articulated in global health initiatives.

“We also provide technical support to countries to contact program reviews, develop evidence based national strategic plans, and develop grant applications that were aligned with the strategic plans of the global fund initiatives,” she said.

She said WHO supported respective countries health priority areas and ensure optimal use of the assistance provided by the Global Fund.

Head of Department of the Global Fund as well as Head of the Department of Political, Civil Society Advocacy, Ms Linda Mafu said the fund was committed as part of the evolving situation in Africa.

Ms Mafu said Global Fund was supporting health initiatives that were destined to support challenges in Africa.

She said Global Fund would listen and get direction from the countries on funding projects that would save people’s lives and ultimately ensure that Africa has access to health services that were hindered by financial constraints.

Representing Health Minister of Guinea Bissau, Professor Aladje Balde, President of the National Institute of Public Health said Malaria was the biggest threat to the country’s health system.

Prof. Balde said efforts were made to reduce the spread of Malaria by increasing the distribution of mosquito nets as well as spreading of mosquito infested areas.

Despite challenges emanating from instability in the country, Prof. Balde said the health system was steadily improving and reducing cases of mother to child transmission of the HIV virus.

He added that lack of research in the health sector and proper data collection had a negative impact on providing the people with quality health care, therefore he advocated for increased support from the Global Fund.

Prof. Balde added that some cultural practices were equally proving to be a barrier for some people to get the necessary health services, therefore resulting in lack of adherence by some patients who were on ARV therapy.

As for Dr Richard Mihigo, from GAVI Vaccine Alliance and Director COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery said the Public Private Partnership was established to upgrade market knowledge of the COVID-19 vaccine by maximising its partners’ expertise, existing networks and facilitating collaboration to find new solutions.

Dr Mihigo said GAVI was mandated to save lives and protect people’s health by increasing access to immunization in lower and middle income countries.

He said GAVI had supported countries in delivering the COVID-19 vaccines to over one billion unique children, saving over 17 million lives, saw immunisation rates rising by about 20 per cent and under five mortality had been reduced by half.

He said global health initiatives such as GAVI had worked tremendously in saving lives in Africa. Dr Mihigo said helping countries achieve their health initiatives was at the core of GAVI.

“We are committed and ready to work with all African countries to save children’s lives and protect people’s lives by increasing access to immunisation.

The Minister of Health in Malawi, Ms Khumbize Chiponda said while the country was working hard to improve its health system, the process was exacerbated by outbreaks of epidemics and other major disasters.

However, Ms Chiponda said efforts were being made to sustain gains that were made in the fight against among others HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. She said the country had made significant progress in controlling HIV and AIDS which showed the HIV prevalence declining by about 40 per cent and tremendously decreasing AIDS related deaths.

Ms Chiponda said Malaria deaths had increased to about 60 per cent. Despite making strides in improving the health system, Ms Chiponda said gaps still appeared therefore making the health system fragile.

Of recent, she said Malawi experienced the worst cholera outbreak claiming lives of over 1 700 people, over 60 000 affected showing that the health system remains fragile as it was faced by among others shortage of infrastructure.

“The fact that we are talking universal health coverage and living no one behind, the aspirations will remain a dream as long as the country was not adequately provided with health infrastructure and equipment especially in the mostly populated rural areas,” she said.

Therefore, she said upgrading health infrastructure was a priority for Malawi to reach out to the 70 per cent of the country’s population in rural areas.

She said the recent past outbreak of Cholera with 700 active cases a day had revealed that shortage of health workers was a challenge. Ms Chiponda said vacancy rate for healthy workers was standing at over 60 per cent.

Ms Chiponda said Malawi was grateful of the continued support for Global Fund.

She said Malawi has launched Health Sector Strategic Plan III which prioritised closing the gaps in the health sectors especially on issues relating to non-communicable diseases, mental health and neglected tropical disease.ENDS