More than 150 million Africans are pushed into poverty, WHO points out the main cause

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that huge medical costs are pushing more than 150 million people in Africa into poverty, preventing them from having a quality and productive life.

Paying for essential medicines and other health care costs out of pocket for Africans is exacerbating their financial hardship. (Source: WHO)

In the report "Towards Universal Health Coverage in the WHO African Region: Monitoring Financial Protection" released on December 12 to mark Universal Health Coverage Day, WHO said that direct payments continue to impose a financial burden on more than 200 million people on the continent.

Paying for essential medicines and other health care costs out of pocket is exacerbating financial hardship and leading to poor health outcomes for the continent's vulnerable citizens, according to WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti.

“Such payments force many people to spend less on other basic needs like food, housing and utilities, which can make their situation worse,” he said.

The report, which analysed the period 2000-2019, found that each year, 2.5 million more people in Africa spent more than 10% of their household budget on medicines and other health care costs. This number increased from 52 million in 2000 to 95 million in 2019.

Half of those pushed into poverty by huge health costs globally live in Africa, with rural households and those headed by older people bearing the brunt of the burden, the report said.

In countries where health expenditure is relatively high as a share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), poverty related to health care costs per se has been prevented.

Out-of-pocket health spending could force African citizens to cut back on basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter, further undermining their health, the report warns.

“Poverty due to out-of-pocket health expenditure can lead to treatment abandonment, as it is a direct barrier for some people. These barriers affect people’s ability to access diagnosis and treatment and complete treatment successfully,” WHO stressed.

The report notes that several African countries have adopted strong policy and legal frameworks to address the burden of out-of-pocket health spending, such as abolishing patient fees, widely implementing health insurance schemes, and increasing reliance on state-funded health services.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/hon-150-trieu-nguoi-chau-phi-bi-day-vao-canh-ngheo-kho-who-chi-ra-nguyen-nhan-chinh-297350.html