Recent statistics reveal that Africa is home to 30% of the world’s poor and its poverty is further exacerbated by ill health. HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis alone account for over 6 million deaths annually and countless
hours of lost productivity.
At the rate of an average of 16,438 deaths daily, all efforts must target both preventive and curative measures to the overall benefit of both sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) citizens and the global community. Studies have revealed that countries investing in human capital realize high growth rates and are better placed to reduce poverty only if the health conditions and the environment are conducive. Such an outcome contrasts with the reality in many African countries whose governments, mainly due to resource limitations, and partly due to low awareness levels, allocate lower priority to citizens’ health in national budgets.