Latest news with #JeanKaseya
Daily Maverick
03-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Restructuring global health – WHO faces major challenges as foreign aid reductions take toll
While the immediate effects of the US cuts in health aid are being felt primarily by the Global South, the associated risks extend worldwide. Last week, global leaders gathered for the World Health Assembly in Geneva to address the reality that the global health landscape is being reshaped by dramatic shifts in funding, priorities, and leadership. Chief among these is the United States' decision to slash foreign aid and withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO). Despite spending only 0.24% of its gross national income on foreign aid, the United States has been the largest donor to global health programmes, providing one-third of the international assistance in global health. This is not just a US issue – other countries have also signalled reductions in foreign health aid, and Argentina also recently announced it will withdraw from the WHO. These dramatic shifts have forced the WHO to plan a reduction in staff by nearly 50%, triggering massive restructuring. Non-government organisations (NGOs) are laying off large numbers of staff worldwide. While other donors and philanthropies are stepping in, they cannot fill the void alone. Meanwhile, the shock to the system is already resulting in lives lost. According to the WHO, countries such as Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso and Nigeria may run out of HIV antiretroviral medications within months. The Africa CDC's director-general, Dr Jean Kaseya, warned in March that 'two to four million additional Africans are likely to die annually' as a result of the aid cuts. T The continent now faces a $12-billion shortfall in healthcare financing. Substantial impacts will be felt across the globe, from Afghanistan to Lao PDR, in many low- and middle-income countries. While the immediate effects of these cuts are being felt primarily by the Global South, the associated risks extend globally. When countries become overwhelmed by preventable infections, they will lose the ability to detect and contain pathogens with epidemic potential that could cross borders in days. The current situation carries serious implications for global security as well as health. A new era needs to begin with a roadmap for sustainable domestic funding by individual nations, a strategic view of the role of WHO, and a coordinated plan among major donors. Governments must take the lead in reshaping their health budgets to reflect urgent needs while navigating competing priorities. Donors, NGOs, and multilaterals can support this shift if they embrace flexible, trust-based funding models tailored to local strategies. African health financing The desire to create long-term sustainability is apparent in the Africa CDC's strategic plan to transform health financing, which focuses on domestic resource mobilisation, diversifying funding sources, optimising health fund management and using evidence-based data for efficient resource allocation. The plan calls for member countries to meet the Abuja Declaration target of spending at least 15% of national budgets on health and explores innovative ideas such as solidarity levies and mobilising Africa's $95-billion in annual diaspora remittances. Nigeria's Basic Health Care Provision Fund, which dedicates 1% of revenue (about $150-million annually) to primary care, is a promising example. Any effort to reform global health infrastructure must prioritise resilient, widely accessible primary healthcare. Since the Alma-Ata declaration of 1978, we've known that primary care is the foundation of 'Health for All'. Doing so will not only reduce the impact of chronic and endemic infectious diseases, but also serve to enable systems that quickly identify when infectious disease outbreaks of concern appear. As the WHO recalibrates, it must assess realistically the current situation and focus on its most important core functions for the future: setting global standards, responding to emergencies and coordinating transnational responses. Routine programme implementation should be handled by individual countries, NGOs, and the private sector. The WHO can no longer afford to take on the management of basic health functions within countries. Instead, it needs to focus on maintaining surge capacity to meet needs during health emergencies and facilitate cooperation in transboundary issues. The WHO needs to prioritise doing fewer things better. Now is also the time for new global coalitions, agreements and leadership among non-government actors. The Gates Foundation has reaffirmed its commitment to address emerging challenges. Philanthropies must align their efforts to successfully cooperate, identify priorities and gaps, reduce duplication and maximise impact. Meanwhile, the private sector has a vital role to play in connecting national health priorities to new markets, innovations and partnerships. Global health needs a multisector coalition of the willing right now that is felicitous, innovative, able to learn from past mistakes and adapt to meet the world's current needs and prevent future crises. The time for action is now – the consequences of inaction are too great, and the lives lost are both predictable and preventable. DM Mitchell Wolfe is Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic Studies, Washington, DC; Nahid Bhadelia is Associate Professor at the Boston University School of Medicine; and Wilmot James is Professor and Strategic Advisor to the Pandemic Center at Brown University's School of Public Health and a former Member of Parliament (South Africa).
Zawya
30-04-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Warns: Millions of African Children Still Lack Access to Life-Saving Vaccines
Despite the proven power of vaccines to save lives, over 500,000 children under five in Africa continue to die each year from preventable diseases, including measles, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, and whooping cough—diseases that have been nearly eradicated in much of the world. Providing effective protection against these illnesses should be straightforward, yet across the continent, vaccination remains out of reach for millions. Limited domestic health funding, low trust in vaccines, political instability, and the challenge of accessing remote communities all contribute to the problem. In 2023, just 16 African countries achieved over 90% coverage for essential childhood vaccines, including the third dose of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP3), and the first dose of the measles-containing vaccine (MCV1). As a result, millions of children remain vulnerable to preventable diseases. A vial of measles vaccine, for instance, costs only USD 2.85. Yet since 2018, 28 African countries have experienced large, disruptive measles outbreaks. The number of 'zero-dose' children—those who have received no vaccines at all—rose to 7.9 million in 2023, a 16% increase from 2019. These numbers reflect the long-lasting impact of COVID-19, inequities in health access, and system-wide fragilities. Countries like Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan continue to report high mortality rates from vaccine-preventable diseases due to inconsistent coverage. Recent outbreaks in Somalia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, and ongoing cases of diphtheria and pertussis in Chad and Nigeria highlight the scale of the challenge. Vaccine-preventable diseases cost African countries an estimated USD 13 billion annually, placing additional strain on overstretched health systems and slowing economic progress. Yet immunisation remains one of the most cost-effective health investments, with a return on investment of up to 37 times the cost. Africa CDC, in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC), WHO, UNICEF, GAVI, PATH, and other partners, is advancing the Continental Immunisation Strategy. Guided by the Addis Declaration on Immunisation and aligned with the Immunisation Agenda 2030, this strategy is building a unified, resilient, and equitable immunisation system across the continent. 'Africa currently produces less than 1% of the vaccines it uses. This is a challenge we are committed to changing,' said Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC. 'Our goal is to manufacture 60% of vaccines used in Africa locally by 2040.' In 2024 alone, 25 vaccine manufacturing projects were underway on the continent, with eight antigens expected to be WHO prequalified and market-ready between 2025 and 2030. Africa CDC continues to strengthen cold chain systems, train health workers, improve data and pharmacovigilance, and mobilise vaccines for emergencies such as COVID-19 and mpox. It is also leading efforts to boost domestic resource mobilisation and develop innovative financing approaches to close persistent immunisation gaps. Africa Vaccination Week is a timely reminder that while the challenges are immense, the solutions are within reach. With renewed investment, strong political will, and regional coordination, Africa can protect its children and build a healthier, more resilient future. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Africa needs innovative financing solutions to prevent health systems from collapsing, say experts
African health care leaders said innovative financing solutions will be essential to prevent the collapse of health systems on the continent, with the departure of donor aid funding creating a more important role for startups and public-private investments. The abrupt withdrawal of USAID funding earlier this year, following a trend of cutbacks from other Western nations, has left a nearly $12 billion shortfall in financing critical services such as maternal and child health, HIV treatment, pandemic preparedness, and disease control. Last week the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) outlined urgent reforms to secure sustainable funding, focusing on domestic financing, health taxes, and public-private investments to close infrastructure gaps. 'If we do not act now, we risk losing 20 years of progress in health security, with preventable diseases returning in force and overwhelming already fragile systems,' said Jean Kaseya, director-general of Africa CDC. Githinji Gitahi, CEO of Nairobi-based nonprofit Amref Health Africa, told Semafor that Africa faced a health care funding gap of roughly $66 billion a year even before accounting for the USAID cuts. 'Traditional funding sources like foreign aid and out-of-pocket payments simply aren't enough. That's why innovative financing models are essential,' he said. Gitahi pointed to several 'promising approaches' including Rwanda's health insurance program, which covers more than 90% of the population by combining affordable premiums with government subsidies. Another example, he said, is the 'sin taxes' imposed on alcohol, cigarettes, and sugary drinks in South Africa and Botswana, which are generating millions for health care while addressing the growing burden of lifestyle diseases. The urgency of Africa's health financing crisis was highlighted at last month's Africa Health Agenda International Conference in Kigali where experts said governments needed to diversify funding strategies to reduce their reliance on external aid. In a recent briefing, the Center for Global Development also wrote that 'innovative partnerships' with the private sector were a key part of the solution, pointing to pharmaceutical manufacturing as a prominent example. Last year the vaccine alliance GAVI launched the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator, a financing instrument that will make up to $1.2 billion available over 10 years to support local vaccine production. Afreximbank also committed $2 billion to this push toward vaccine sovereignty. Frederik Kristensen, head of the Regionalized Vaccine Manufacturing Collaborative, an initiative set up to help potential manufacturers find funders, said it was a crucial time to help Africa become less reliant on imports after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed stark global vaccine inequalities. 'It's really important in terms of health security,' he told Semafor, 'if there is an outbreak that there are vaccine manufacturers on the continent which can switch to producing vaccines that will be needed.' At present South Africa and Senegal are the only countries with end-to-end vaccine manufacturing capacities in Africa. Around nine priority vaccines have been identified for local production by 2030 including those targeting cholera, measles-rubella, and yellow fever. A key hurdle for the sector is ensuring sustainable and long-term demand for the vaccines. But with 'political will' to drive-through policies and regulations for manufacturers, this can be achieved, Kristensen said. EASE South Africa, an equipment business set up by the African Asset Finance Company, on Monday secured funding from Standard Bank, Africa's largest bank by assets, to expand its pay-per-use model to provide hospitals and clinics with access to high-end diagnostic machines such as MRI scanners. 'What it means is that [health care providers] don't have to make a big upfront capital investment,' said Kanyinsola Oyeyinka, senior vice-president at EASE. Such costs can be a barrier to accessing the latest technology and so the model could 'free up' money for other priorities such as hiring more nurses or increasing hospital beds. 'We will own the equipment, but they will have full access to using it to provide care to the patients.' Standard Bank will invest about $100 million into EASE, which has already applied the model in Ghana and Nigeria, over the next seven years. John van Kan, head of the bank's healthcare sector, told Semafor that the equipment aimed to help more patients in 'outlying areas' access the care they need. A da Vinci surgical robot installed by EASE last year, for instance, at a hospital in the coastal town of Umhlanga will be used to help surgeons perform procedures with reduced recovery time. Another startup that has been leading health innovation in the supply chain space, is Zipline, a US firm that uses autonomous drones to deliver drugs, vaccines, and other medical goods to remote clinics in countries including Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Rwanda. A study published last month analyzing health care data from 191 Ghanaian health facilities found a direct link between reliable medical supply availability and improved health system use, leading to a 56% reduction in maternal deaths at facilities served by Zipline compared to those that were not. Long-term strategies to reduce aid dependency are vital for African health care, a global health expert writes in The Conversation.
Zawya
11-04-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Unveils Strategic Plan to Transform Health Financing and Advance Self-Reliance
With external health aid to Africa expected to plunge by 70% between 2021 and 2025, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has launched a continent-wide strategy to radically transform how health systems are financed, putting African resources at the centre of African health. The sharp decline in official development assistance, paired with a 41% surge in disease outbreaks from 2022 to 2024, is overwhelming already stretched health systems. Without urgent reform, the continent risks losing decades of hard-won progress in disease control, maternal care, and epidemic preparedness. Africa CDC's response is deliberate and strategic. In collaboration with African Union Member States, the agency will guide efforts to revise national health financing plans, strengthen domestic investment in health, and pilot innovative, context-specific revenue mechanisms designed to mobilise sustainable and predictable funding. 'Africa cannot continue outsourcing its health security,' said Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC. 'This strategy is not about aid—it's about ownership. We are building a future where Africa invests in its people, drives its own health agenda, and responds to crises with speed, strength, and self-reliance.' The strategy urges governments to fulfil the Abuja Declaration by allocating at least 15% of national budgets to health. It also introduces innovative financing ideas such as solidarity levies on airline tickets, alcohol, and mobile services, while exploring how Africa's US$95 billion in annual diaspora remittances can support national health priorities. Blended finance tools will be used to unlock public and private capital for critical investments in infrastructure, digital health, and local production of vaccines and medical supplies. Implementation will be phased. The first phase (2025–2026) will focus on updating national health financing plans in 30 countries, piloting innovative revenue mechanisms, and launching transparency dashboards. The second phase (2026–2030) will scale successful approaches, with the goal of enabling at least 20 countries to finance 50 percent or more of their health budgets through sustainable domestic sources. To track results and ensure accountability, Africa CDC will deploy a new African Health Financing Scorecard to monitor progress, improve donor alignment, and boost efficiency in domestic spending. The strategy marks a critical turning point for Africa's health independence. With political momentum from the African Union and proven regional coordination mechanisms, Africa CDC is positioning itself and the continent to lead a new era of sustainable, sovereign health financing. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
Zawya
11-04-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Africa's Plan to Fill Health Funding Gaps Amidst Declining Coffers
Africa's top public health institution is planning to tap more funds from domestic sources to protect the gains made over the past two decades in epidemic preparedness and response, following a steep decline in external support. Since the decline of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Africa by 70% over the past few years, one thing has become abundantly clear: there is a gap in health funding, putting pressure on already fragile health systems. Historically, ODA has been instrumental in achieving a 50% reduction in under-five mortality between 1990 and 2019, expanding routine immunization coverage, and supporting HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs that now provide antiretroviral therapy to over 18 million people across Africa. It also enabled rapid responses to major health crises, such as the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The contraction in funding coincides with a rise in disease outbreaks. Between 2022 and 2024, the continent witnessed a 40% increase in reported public health emergencies. Concerns also persist about the return of viral haemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola and Marburg, while climate shocks — ranging from floods to heatwaves — are fueling new health risks, often in regions least equipped to respond. 'We are also facing a number of issues in terms of debt servicing and dependence on imported medical countermeasures. Combining these two factors, Africa is facing a major risk,' said Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The situation poses a broader challenge within Africa's health security architecture, but work is ongoing to reverse the funding uncertainty. Africa CDC has mobilized African Union Member States toward a new era of health investment. Dr. Kaseya proposes a three-pronged strategy to enhance sustainability and reduce reliance on external donors, outlined in a new paper. He is calling on African Union Member States to increase their domestic funding for public health. Only two countries currently meet the Abuja target of allocating 15% of national budgets to healthcare. Domestic commitment is essential to safeguarding health systems against the volatility of international funding, he notes. 'We need to have a costed strategic plan and a national financing plan. We need to push for more alignment of external resources,' said Dr. Kaseya. Second, Africa CDC is pursuing new financing models. These include the Africa Epidemics Fund, whose operational framework was launched in February 2025, as a pooled resource for emergency preparedness and rapid response. The agency is also exploring mechanisms such as an airline tax or regional solidarity levies to provide a more predictable stream of funding for outbreak management. Third, Africa CDC is seeking greater collaboration with philanthropic organisations and the private sector. The aim is to attract long-term investment into critical infrastructure, including local vaccine production, digital health systems, and logistics networks. As part of this effort, Africa CDC is implementing the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism to lower costs and increase access to essential health commodities across the continent. To support the mobilization of domestic funding and the pursuit of new financing models, Africa CDC is requesting USD 43 million. The fund will enable the successful execution of the plans to ensure measurable progress toward sustainable health financing across the continent. 'A detailed budget has been developed for each pillar of support, covering technical assistance for the development of costed national health plans, the establishment of the AU-led monitoring dashboard, implementation of the pilot airline tax, and the design and scaling of innovative and blended financing mechanisms,' says the paper on health financing. Galvanising broader support, Dr. Kaseya recently led a high-level diplomatic mission to the United States, Norway, and Denmark. In Washington, D.C., he and his team met with U.S. lawmakers, USAID, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and major philanthropic institutions, including the Gates and Rockefeller Foundations. These engagements focused on reaffirming Africa CDC's central role in global health security and appealing for continued support despite ongoing budgetary pressures in donor countries. 'An investment in Africa's public health is an investment in global stability,' said Dr. Kaseya during his visit to the U.S. 'Africa's progress cannot be reversed by temporary budget constraints in partner countries.' What may seem like a major setback could, in fact, be a defining opportunity, says Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, Principal Advisor to the Director General and the Continental Incident Manager for Mpox. 'Africa CDC is leveraging global funding cuts to champion sustainable health financing — fueling domestic investment, unlocking innovative funding streams, and building resilient systems for Africa's future,' says Dr. Ngongo. In Europe, discussions with government and development officials in Norway and Denmark highlighted a shared interest in strengthening health systems. While new financial commitments have yet to materialise, both countries signalled strong political support for Africa CDC's long-term objectives. During the trip to Norway, Dr. Kaseya signed a new Memorandum of Understanding between the Africa CDC and the Kingdom of Norway focused on building capacity, enhancing data for decision-making, and leveraging DHIS2—an open-source software platform for the collection, reporting, analysis, and dissemination of aggregate and individual-level data—for national and regional disease surveillance. Throughout these engagements, Dr. Kaseya emphasised that Africa is not seeking charity but partnerships. 'We are asking for solidarity and co-investment,' he said. 'What we are building is a firewall that protects not only Africa but the world.' Dr. Ngongo adds that it really doesn't help to complain. 'We have to be proactive in terms of thinking that, if this is the new normal — if that is the direction the world is taking — how do we remain fit in that context? What are the adjustments we need to make on our side to turn this challenge into an opportunity for Africa? That's the angle we have taken: to turn what may seem like a setback into an opportunity. This is why we're moving ahead with a new strategy — one that prioritises increased domestic resource mobilisation, explores innovative financing like solidarity levies and sin taxes, and brings in private sector investment. We see this not only as a challenge, but also as a moment to reshape the future of health financing on the continent.' Africa CDC's efforts to build a strong war chest to fund responses to outbreaks and fight diseases across Africa received a boost from two African Heads of State on March 14. President of Angola, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, took over the rotating African Union (AU) chairmanship at the opening of the 38th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government on February 15. 'I strongly commend the remarkable efforts of the Africa CDC in advancing the continent's public health agenda, tying it closely to economic growth and job creation, and ensuring the safety and well-being of all Africans,' President Lourenço said. Africa CDC plays a key role in strengthening Africa's capacity to respond effectively and rapidly to emerging health threats, he said. 'The fundamental role that this institution has played has set a commendable standard in disease surveillance, prevention, and control, contributing immensely to continental and global health security. I reaffirm my commitment to providing continuous and sound support to Africa CDC, empowering you to fully discharge its essential mandate,' President Lourenço said. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who also visited Africa CDC on the same day, called on AU members to intensify their collective support in elevating the Africa CDC as a premier public health institution. 'It is incumbent upon us to strengthen this institution in collaboration with partners. I call upon fellow African leaders to join efforts in establishing our continental public health agency as a premier institution, fully committed to advancing health across the continent,' Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
