SENEGAL – Mercy Ships Africa Bureau Director Dr. Pierre M’Pele has called for continued vigilance and tireless pursuit in the efforts to improve the level of health of African populations and to ensure that the continent achieves the Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

As Mercy Ships marks 30 years of service on the continent, its Africa Bureau Director emphasized that committed partnerships are the best way to ensure all Africans have access to life-saving surgical procedures.

The challenge of equity and the integration of surgical and anesthesia care into national health systems are prerequisites for achieving Universal Health Coverage in Africa,” the international charity highlighted.

To achieve Universal Health Coverage in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the year 2030, it is essential to build effective, inclusive partnerships between governments, the private sector, civil society and communities.

Mercy Ships further said that the Dakar Declaration on Access to Equitable, Affordable and Quality Surgical, Obstetric and Anaesthetic Care and its 2022-2030 Action Plan submitted to African Heads of State will accelerate UHC by the year 2030 in Africa.

Dr. Pierre M’Pele observed that that planning for greater investment in health as part of national development programs, in conjunction with good democratic governance, stability and economic growth have positively influenced health indicators across the continent.

For instance, life expectancy across Africa has increased by 10 years since 2000 as a result of interventions such as the implementation of the 2000-2015 Millennium and successful commitments made by national governments in the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (2015-2030).

While this progress is notable, it is unevenly distributed across Africa, between regions, between countries, and even within countries and the slow reduction in infectious diseases indicates an epidemiological transition that deserves special attention,” Mercy Ships reported.

Dr. M’Pele further cautioned that surgery is a particularly neglected component of health systems in Africa while noting that it is a critical area where much improvement needs to be made.

He pointed out that one-third of clinical conditions in Africa require surgical, obstetric, and anesthetic care, and yet there is less than 1 surgical specialist per 100,000 inhabitants.

While much of the world is looking to the latest technologies to improve their clinical care, we are saying that in Africa, there is still a lot of work to do to increase the number of qualified, specialized, and dedicated doctors and nurses too,” Dr. M’Pele said.

In the march towards Universal Health Coverage, African governments were urged to take a rigorous strategic and scientific approach to invest in building resilient health systems.

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