Myth: Africa Needs Our Help

Myth: Africa Needs Our Help

Bill and Melinda Gates have been labeled as “the most generous humans ever” by Western media. And it’s true that for the past few years, the Gates Foundation has consistently donated more to global health programs than the World Health Organization, including billions of dollars’ worth of AIDS pills to African citizens (Belluz). It is an admirable mission considering that Africa bears 60% of all AIDS cases, despite only encompassing 11% of the world’s total population (Africa Times Editorial Board).

But that’s only one side of the story. In 2016, 30% of Africa’s population were deemed food insecure (“Africa”) and many threw up their free AIDS pills involuntarily (Piller). While HIV and AIDs is Africa’s second leading cause of death, it may shock many from the West that Africa’s first leading cause of death is lower respiratory tract infections. Something so easily treated in developed countries, such as pneumonia and influenza, kills over 900,000 African people every year and has not been prioritized by global health funds (Vuuren). While Global Health Organizations generously donate billions with the intention to help, they are not reaching the heart of Africa’s real health care problems. Perhaps clean hypodermic needles, more than one radio therapy machine per 43 million residents, more disposable gloves, proper sanitation, better access to health facilities, and better food distribution would be money better spent than for high-tech pills that patients can’t swallow due to malnutrition (Africa Times Editorial Board).

Unfortunately, Global Health Funds may not only be investing their money in the wrong areas, but they are also undermining Africa’s health care system. For example, despite facing 25% of all global diseases, Africa as a continent only has 2% of the world’s doctors (Jimenez). Consequently, there is only one doctor for every 5000 African residents (Abaridqz). That makes working conditions stressful, extremely difficult, and sometimes lethal (Piller). That is why many of Africa’s most intelligent medical students tend to move to America or Europe so they can have access to a higher pay, better working conditions, and more resources (Africa Times Editorial Board). That means that an insufficient number, comprised of the less competent people remain. Although Global Funds have looked to support the under staffed hospitals, in Rwanda for example, nurses who earn $50 to $100 a month work along side Global Fund-supported nurses who earn $175 to $200 for the same job (Piller). It is an easy choice for high-quality clinicians to move away rather than staying behind.

Joe McCannon, the vice president of a nongovernmental aid organization in Africa, notes, “You have to ask: ‘Net, are we having a positive effect?’ It’s a haunting question” (Piller). The truth is that Africa would genuinely benefit from Western support, but not at the cost of their health care system’s autonomy. That being said, it is inaccurate to think that African governments are standing idle during this health care crisis.

Senegalese President, Macky Sall, and his administration have already introduced new measures to provide women with breast or cervical cancer with free chemotherapy (Africa Times Editorial Board). And his administration has made plans to take the 20% of Senegalese who enjoyed health care at the start of his term to 100% by 2022 by investing $1.6 billion dollars into Senegal's health care system (Africa Times Editorial Board). And many other countries are following suit.

So hope isn’t lost for Africa’s health care system. Global Health Funds primarily based in the West should reassess the effectiveness of their health programs and support African governments in implementing their own programs for their citizens—without the West’s out-of-touch influence.

Works Cited

Abairdqz. “Africa Has about One Doctor for Every 5000 People.” Quartz, Quartz, 22 Oct. 2015, qz.com/520230/africa-has-about-one-doctor-for-every-5000-people/.

“Africa Hunger Facts, Africa Poverty Facts.” World Hunger News, World Hunger Education Service, 2016, www.worldhunger.org/africa-hunger-poverty-facts-2018/.

Africa Times Editorial Board. “How Africa Is Slowly Turning the Healthcare Tide.” Africa Times, Africa Times, 28 Nov. 2019, africatimes.com/2019/11/27/how-africa-is-slowly-turning-the-healthcare-tide/.

Belluz, Julia. “The Media Loves the Gates Foundation. These Experts Are More Skeptical.” Vox, Vox, 10 June 2015, www.vox.com/2015/6/10/8760199/gates-foundation-criticism.

Clausen, Lily B. “Taking on the Challenges of Health Care in Africa.” Insights by Stanford Business, Stanford Graduate School of Business, 16 June 2015, www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/taking-challenges-health-care-africa.

Jimenez, Joseph. “3 Ways to Improve Healthcare in Africa.” World Economic Forum, World Economic Forum, 21 Jan. 2015, www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/01/3-ways-to-improve-healthcare-in-africa/.

Piller, Charles, and Doug Smith. “Unintended Victims of Gates Foundation Generosity.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2007, www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-gates16dec16-story.html.

"Study Data from University of the Witwatersrand Provide New Insights into Sustainability Research (Structuring Sustainable Universal Health Care in South Africa)." Ecology, Environment & Conservation, 13 Mar. 2020, p. 465. Gale In Context: Global Issues, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A616695315/GIC?u=los42754&sid=GIC&xid=9715e02a. Accessed 16 Mar. 2020.