by Christine Lagat
NAIROBI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Countries in the Sub-Saharan African region must adopt a new strategic vision that revolves around policy reforms, innovative financing and adoption of new technologies in order to transform their health sectors, experts said on Thursday.
The experts who spoke during the launch of report on status of health in Africa in Nairobi stated that a radical policy shift, visionary leadership, research, training and technology adoption are key to transforming the critical sector against a backdrop of a rising disease burden.
Alex Ezeh, the Executive Director of Nairobi-based Africa Population Health Research Center (APHRC), said that a new vision for Africa's health sector is long overdue to help tackle soaring deaths linked to preventable ailments.
"Though several milestones have been achieved in Africa's health sector, bold actions must be taken now to avoid a relapse into the old order marked by unacceptably high rates of infectious diseases," said Ezeh.
He was a co-author of the report titled "The path to longer and healthier lives for all African by 2030 published by the Lancet Commission on the future of health in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The report noted that even though Africa's health sector was grappling with numerous hiccups, there was a chance to reclaim it through application of strategic policy, regulatory and financing interventions.
Ezeh noted that improved governance, capacity development and infrastructural upgrade are key to establishing well-functioning health systems in Africa.
He urged creation of people centered health systems that can respond effectively to both infectious and lifestyle diseases that are responsible for high death rates among Africa's productive age segment.
African states have an opportunity to revamp their health systems through enactment of robust policies, investments in research and training as well as greater collaboration with private sector.
Professor Nelson Sewankambo, the immediate Principal of Makerere University's College of Health Sciences, said that strong and accountable leadership, evidence-based research and innovative financing models are required to transform primary healthcare in Africa.
"It is evident that health outcomes in this Continent can be improved through state-led interventions that seek to streamline service delivery at all levels," Sewankambo remarked.
