“Investing in Health: Key to Inclusive, Sustainable, and Equitable Growth in Africa” by AfDB, Human Development Department Director, Agnes Soucat.
Ms.Soucat spoke during a presentation on behalf of the Harmonization for Health in Africa (HHA) Mechanism at the Value for Money, Sustainability and Accountability in the Health Sector high-level dialogue between Ministers of Finance and Health organized by the AfDB and HHA on July 4 and 5 in Tunis.
Using illustrative data, she discussed health and health financing in Africa, particularly in the context of inequality in growth, demographic shifts, and voice and accountability. She also stressed the importance of value for money, accountability, efficiency and sustainability in health spending in the context of more domestic spending and declining official development assistance.
The conference gathered over 50 finance and health ministers and/or their representatives from 33 African countries, parliamentarians as well as over 400 participants from the public and private sectors, academia, civil society and the media globally.
The conference emphasized the urgent need for greater domestic accountability, reduced dependence on foreign aid and the role of parliamentarians as well as using e-health in achieving greater value for money in the delivery of health services in Africa. It also stressed the need to tackle the critical shortages, misdistribution and inadequate performance of health workers in Africa.
Stimulating piece of work on health and well-bieng.The analysis is instructive. with policy implications.Inclusive growth for improved quality of health care requires careful financial investments on individuals and communities.The PPP model of india is illustrative in this context.For example,the health Insurance scheme of Narayana Hrudayalaya,Bangalore,India will go a long way in provision of child health services. State Govt.of Karnataka,Dairy cooperatives and Self Help Groups have been of strategic importance in enabling the poor to access health care in rural areas.Similar services come from the Health Cooperatives of Ford Foundation in Rural India.Can i request you to share similar experiences from Africa.I am like to coordinate a workshop on` Strengthening Institutional Networking for Rural Development in Afro-Asia'in December.The workshop is proposed by AARDO,New Delhi.The National Institute of Rural development,Ministry of Rural development, Govt. of india is likely to consider the same.Credentials of our Institute are too well known.However,you may like to please visit our website:nird.org.in.Dr.P.Durgaprasad,Professor and head,Centre for Panchayti Raj,NIRD,Hyderabad,Indiai