LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR AFRICAN WOMEN INCREASES – WHO

By Kalobwe Bwalya

THE World Health Organization( WHO)  has said the life expectancy of African women has increased from 54 to 67 years and the maternal mortality ratio decreased by 33% from 788 to 531 maternal deaths per 100 000 lives.

WHO regional director for Africa Rebecca Moeti has said the number of children dying before the age of five was reduced by 50% from 2000 to 2017.

Dr. Moeti explained that between 2011 and 2021, the number of new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths decreased by 44% and 55%, respectively across Africa, and the number of TB deaths decreased by 26%.

Dr. Moeti added that several diseases were on the verge of eradication and elimination, including Polio, Guinea worm disease, as well as maternal and neonatal tetanus.

She said several countries had started operationalizing an integrated Life Stages Approach, which prioritizes the health of individuals at every stage of their life and the care needed at any time.

She said health was not only a fundamental human right, but also central to peace and prosperity, therefore addressing health inequities requires intentional efforts.

“Our member states’ efforts to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage should be commended. They are reforming their health policies and revamping legislative and regulatory frameworks, including National Health Insurance Schemes (NHIS) and Social Health Insurance (SHI) schemes to reduce catastrophic out-of-pocket health expenditures.

“We know that many in our region still need help with access to quality essential health services due largely to unfulfilled rights. This is further compounded by protracted and ongoing crises such as conflicts, climate change, food insecurity, disease outbreaks, and epidemics, said “Dr Moeti.

And Dr Moeti noted that the number of people aged 15 and over living with HIV was still high at an estimated 24.3 million in 2021, (3.4 % of the total population compared to 15.6 million in 2005).

She said this reflects the continued transmission of HIV despite reductions in the incidence of people newly infected and the benefits of significantly expanded access to antiretrovirals.

Dr. Moeti said she was hoping that this year’s world health day under the theme: My health, my right will address some of the disparities in the coverage of key reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health interventions that remain significant with the rural dweller.

She stated that the poor and those in hard-to-reach areas were the most disadvantaged adding that about 8% of the population in the African Region was still experiencing catastrophic health expenditures.

“I urge our member states to uphold the progress towards fulfilling the right to health agreed by all nations and what is enshrined in the WHO constitution, therefore there is a need to strengthen health governance and combat discrimination and inequalities in health, “she said.