Policy Makers Lobby For More Health Funding

Abigail Lucas
10/30/09
11:11

The population growth in Africa has outpaced the rate that both governments are investing in new health care facilities. Because of this Africa’s health policy makers hope to use the global conference on health promotion to get governments to increase funding in efforts to provide adequate healthcare to poor citizens. The goal of this health conference is to seek innovative ways for the rich and poor countries to work together to bridge the gaps in implementation of global campaigns aimed at providing quality healthcare to all. The Medical services minister, Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o and public health minister Beth Mungo are asking that the government increase the budgetary allocation to the health sector in the next fiscal year. This would be one way of providing quality health care for a larger majority of the population who are unable to afford health services. A recent WHO study identified Kenya as one of the countries with the lowest budgetary allocations on health. Government statistics indicate that Kenya has managed to reduce the under-five mortality rate by forty percent in the last five years. However this has been achieved more because of the increase in immunization coverage and the use of unsecticide treated bed nets to control malaria rather than increased investment in health institutions. President Kibaki says that funding health sector in Africa was constrained by challenges such as poverty, housing, food security, and providing affordable education.
While poverty does play a part in what the government is able to do with its budget I think that it is kind of interesting that housing, food security, and affordable education seem to be placed at a higher priority than health. It seems like housing, food security, and health should be more equal, and maybe even above affordable education. While education is extremely important what good is the affordable education going to do if you do not adequate health care so that you are well enough to attend school to get that education.

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