Africa: Why Africa Needs Universal Health Coverage

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Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is a path laid with golden promises of good health and equity for all, yet remains one less travelled by African leaders.   One disturbing question that keeps me awake is: Why is the Universal Declaration of Health as a Human Right no longer regarded as a sacred oath, one that must be at the heart and soul of our existence? Increasingly, political leaders who promise and strive to serve the people end up becoming their greatest enemy.   People assume positions of leadership and turn their backs against the very people whom they are meant to serve, flouting their social contract with the public without any consequences.   From a cynical perspective, why would they? After all, they can jet abroad to access quality healthcare when they need to… at the expense of the collective resources of their own people.

This is the viral absurdity in a typical African state, where the more privileged ones live a vastly more healthy and prosperous life than the less privileged ones.   For the millions of vulnerable groups and low-income earners who can barely afford to survive or live a pay-check away from poverty- diseases, suffering and death seems to be haste.

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