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Africa: Health Concerns Should Shape Policies
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Business Daily (Nairobi)
OPINION
9 July 2008
Posted to the web 9 July 2008
Margaret Chan
In wealthy countries, the drama usually follows an outbreak of foodborne disease. This brings headlines about the number of cases, the pattern of spread, the source of the guilty food, and the costs of the usually massive recalls.
With the headlines come the questions. How did this happen? Who is responsible? Is the government doing its job?
Outbreaks of foodborne disease are costly, disruptive, and sometimes deadly, but they are circumscribed events. They come to an end. This is not at all the case for many other health problems linked to nutrition and the food supply.
Today, the global nutrition situation is a picture of extremes. Of fasting and feasting, of wasting, stunting, and obesity.
In developing countries, something very fundamental has gone terribly wrong. I am referring, of course, to the crisis caused by soaring food prices.
Food riots around the world and a toppled government have turned on the spotlight, sparked the headlines, and started the questions. How did this happen? What policies brought this on? Who is responsible?
Public health asks a different set of questions - not about who is responsible, but about who will suffer and what must be done.
The health sector had no say in making the policies that shaped this crisis. But health, and most especially in poor and vulnerable populations, will pay the price.
The crisis forces a hard look at the fundamental importance of nutrition to good health throughout the lifespan. It forces a hard look at policies.
Simply stated: what does it mean for global health when millions of people can no longer afford to eat properly? I see two main areas where leadership is needed, and can make a significant difference for health.
First, we need leadership to deliver interventions for nutritional deficiencies to those in greatest need. The interventions already exist. They are cost-effective, and many bring spectacular results. Here, the need is for leadership and innovative in devising delivery systems.
Second, leadership is needed to ensure that policies governing agriculture, food production, and trade are firmly anchored in human nutritional needs and are shaped by health concerns. This is a need for political leadership.
To guard against diet-related chronic diseases, we need policies that make healthy food choices the easy choices. To support better nutrition among the poor, we need policies that do a much better job of ensuring food security.
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Ms Chan is the Director General of WHO
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