World Health Organisation (WHO) Director for Africa
The University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho (UHAS) held its third edition of the UHAS Leadership Lecture Series in memory of Professor John Evans Atta Mills under the topic ‘Universal Health Coverage in Africa’ at the University’s Cedi Auditorium, Sokode-Lokoe, Ho. Dr. Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director for Africa was the Lecturer for the two-day lecture series.
Dr Moeti paid glowing tributes to the former President John Evans Atta Mills. She described him as illustrious son of Africa, who showed single-minded commitment and focus towards the welfare and wellbeing of his people. She admonished leaders on the continent to follow his selfless example.
The Regional Director of WHO said, millions of people in Africa do not have access to essential health care. This predicament according to her is caused by inadequate investment in the health delivery sectors in Africa. She explained that, due to unhealthy lifestyles, Africa surprisingly faces an array of complex health challenges from old and existing epidemics such as HIV, Tuberculosis, Malaria and Cholera. She added that, apart from an alarming rise of non-communicable diseases due to unhealthy lifestyles, climate change has also significantly contributed to the changing disease epidemiology. Dr. Matshidiso Moeti stated that, despite the bleak picture, the WHO was optimistic about the future and charged the academia to make findings of health research topical issues in political decision making.
Making reference to the Atlas of African Health Statistics 2016 Report, she enumerated successful stories and significant improvements of several health indicators; from rise in life expectancy, eradication of Polio and other neglected tropical diseases, medication for HIV and Tuberculosis, and the collaborative management of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
She noted that though governments’ expenditure on health over the last two decades recorded proportional increment across Africa, there is the need for the adoption of a more proactive ‘targeted efforts and policy choices, determined and sustained actions’ to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all Africans.
According to her, “the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, and political belief, economic or social condition”. She therefore called for the combat of inequalities and discriminatory practices to ensure that every African benefits from good health services irrespective of their economic and socio-cultural status.
Dr. Moeti opined that for Africa to accelerate Universal Health Care (UHC), both academic and political leaders and other stakeholders in the health sector must show stronger commitment towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She urged Africa’s leadership to make financial and logistics provisions as well as fully engage citizens on their health rights as far as attaining the SDGs and UHC are concerned. She was hopeful that Africa can achieve the UHC and SDGs by 2030.
To conclude, the WHO Regional Director for Africa accepted the fact that, the continent faces challenging health and development realities. However, there are steady transformations underway at the regional and global levels. She asserted that good progress have been chalked so far and the WHO is also poised to continue playing a catalytic role in Africa’s efforts to have healthy citizens that can contribute significantly to its development.
Professor John Owusu Gyapong, the Vice-Chancellor of UHAS in his introductory statement introduced two (2) WHO representatives who subsequently delivered the lecture on behalf of Dr. Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director for Africa. The two (2) were Dr Martin Ota, WHO Regional Advisor on Health Research and Dr Owen Kaluwa, WHO Representative to Ghana.
Dr. Martin Ota handled the sub-topic "Transform Health and Accelerate Sustainable Development in Africa: Addressing Universal Health Coverage through Regional and Global Transformation"; while Dr. Owen Kaluwa spoke on "Focused Leadership and the Journey to Universal Health Coverage: The Role of Academia".
The UHAS Leadership Lecture Series also coincided with the first UHAS Special Congregation. In his welcome address, His Lordship Justice Victor M. J. Dotse, the Chairman of the University Council said that, the UHAS Special Congregation is set aside to decorate distinguished personalities who have made impacts on the health sector in accordance with the vision and mission of UHAS.
The Lecturer for the occasion, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, and two distinguished Ghanaians, Dr. Moses Adibo, a former Deputy Minister of Health and Mr. Kofi Nsiah –Poku, the Founder and Chairman of KINAPHARMA Ltd were honoured with Honorary Doctorate Degrees and a plaque.