Healthcare Holocaust: A Silent Epidemic in Africa
Why Are Millions Dying? The Shocking Truth About African Healthcare
On 3rd October, the brother-in-law of a dear friend succumbed to a short illness. A week prior, he had visited one of the best private hospitals in Nairobi, complaining of shortness of breath and swollen legs.
The doctors examined him and discovered that in addition to his pre-existing diabetes, three of the arteries supplying blood to his heart were blocked. On the heels of those results, they recommended an urgent Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery.
Unfortunately, he didn’t have the insurance or money to cover the procedure, which they said would cost 1.8 million Kenya Shillings (about 14,000 USD). The hospital declined to admit him and his only recourse was to go back home and create a WhatsApp Group to facilitate fundraising from family and friends.
His family agreed that after a decent amount was raised, he would go back to the hospital for the surgery because it was urgent. Meanwhile they would continue to source for the rest of the funds. They set the tentative date for the surgery as Thursday, October 3rd. As fate would have it, that’s the day he passed on. We buried him 2 days ago—Wednesday, 9th October.
Why am I telling you this? Baba Wangari’s (that was his name) story is the story of millions of Africans. Africans who die not because there wasn’t a chance to save them, but because the healthcare system in the continent is so broken and underfunded, it is nurturing a silent epidemic.
How else would you describe a system that sends someone who needs an urgent procedure home because they have no money? A system that so devalues the worth of human life that it has failed to create an environment where money (the lack of it) does not hinder access to health care?
And no, this is not an indictment on the doctors. They, too, have to bow to an establishment that does nothing in the face of statistics such as–50% of global deaths from infectious diseases can be traced back to Africa.
As for this surgery in particular, according to the Columbia Surgery website, approximately 170,000 Americans undergo the CABG surgery annually with a success rate of 98%. The site goes on to say that:
“Studies have conclusively demonstrated that the operation prolongs life in patients who have severe blockages in the three major coronary arteries, in patients with severe disease, in patients with weak hearts (based on low ejection fraction), in patients with diabetes.”
Woe unto Africans! Africa is not the US, which means, despite the positive studies, most Africans who need the procedure will pass on because of a lack of funds.
The most heartbreaking of all is that if this were an African politician, they would have been airlifted to the US, UK, or India within hours of getting the diagnosis and treated successfully.
This ability to avoid poor healthcare on the continent has given politicians zero incentive to fix the health system in Africa. Refused is the right word because, in 2001, all African countries met in Abuja, Nigeria, and adopted the Abuja Declaration.
It stated that all the countries on the continent would work towards allocating 15% of their national budget to health to improve access to healthcare.
Two decades later, in 2021, data showed that only two countries had met this target–South Africa and Cape Verde. As such, healthcare in the continent continues to be underfunded and of poor quality.
Other Heartbreaking Statistics about Healthcare in Africa
Africa accounts for 50% of global deaths from communicable diseases, and yet it only has 15% of the world’s population.
Africa loses about $2.4 trillion in annual output because of poor health (which means Africa would be $2.4 trillion richer if it had better health systems).
Against a population of 1.3 billion, more than 600 million Africans lack access to primary healthcare
Africa accounts for only 1% of annual global health expenditure, yet it shoulders 23% of the global burden of disease.
Africa spends $8 to $129 per capita on health. High-income countries spend over $4000 per capita on health 🤯🤯🤯
Africa is almost totally dependent on vaccine imports because it produces only 1% of the vaccines it administers.
As of 2019, between 70 and 90 percent of drugs consumed in the continent are imported. In case of a supply-chain disruption, as happened during COVID-19, the continent will not have access to medication.
Is There Hope for a Healthier Africa?
I have no idea. What do you think?
Yes, there are initiatives all over the place, especially those aiming to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 3): Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
However, if Africa has barely moved the needle regarding healthcare in two decades, will these initiatives make a difference?
Mhh🤔
There is a running joke in Kenya. In Kiswahili, it states that:
Kitu itasaidia Kenya ni wakenya wote washuke Kenya, tuoge, Kenya nayo ioshwe alafu ndio turudi.
"The joke compares Kenya to a moving bus. It suggests that the only way to solve Kenya's deep-rooted problems is for all Kenyans to ‘alight from the country,’ take a bath, clean up both themselves and the country, and then return.
This way, they could start fresh with only functional systems in place.
All Africans could follow a similar approach: disembark from the continent, clean up, and return to a renewed and improved Africa with a working health system.
🤷🏽♀️
Or the world could do Africa a solid. All countries outside Africa should block medical visas for all African politicians with zero exceptions. Sure, it’s a bit dystopian, but you would be surprised how fast African politicians would run to fix a system they now have to depend on.
Thank you for reading Africa: Not an Afterthought, in which we lead the conversation on how Africans can leverage trade (AfCFTA), technology, regional integration, and pan-Africanism to build a continent that is no longer an afterthought.
Sometimes, we also just take a beat and express our frustrations about the continent. Today is a case in point.
If you enjoyed this, kindly:
My condolences to your friend and all Africans that have suffered under this system.
I think we can and should improve healthcare by focusing on education and prevention. I think that would be the key regardless of whether healthcare systems improve regardless. It’s the same in western countries.