Limpopo health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba criticised African political leaders for seeking healthcare abroad instead of fixing their own healthcare systems. She expressed her displeasure at this trend during the Africa Health Indaba event in Midrand, Gauteng, TimesLive reported. The conference gathers healthcare professionals and politicians from Africa to discuss the future of healthcare on the continent. She said:
When I am sick I can be flown to a five-star medical centre and we don’t care. We die in Turkey and Singapore hospitals.
When you get to those hospitals it is five-star service. But who is paying for that? The very same poor and vulnerable we have left behind. No African leader must consult in another country. They must fix their own system. Die in your own country and hospitals.
Dr. Phophi Ramathuba expressed her concerns about the overwhelmed healthcare system in her province, which shares borders with Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Mozambique. She highlighted the lack of collaboration in the SADC region, which hampers finding solutions and interventions.
Dr. Ramathuba emphasized the need for healthcare systems that are tailored to African lifestyles, as the current system does not address the changes caused by urbanisation. She mentioned the importance of developing healthcare systems that respond to the specific problems faced by African communities.
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Dr. Bandile Hadebe, the Africa Health Indaba secretariat, emphasised the importance of keeping the healthcare system up-to-date with technological advancements in order to provide better care. He highlighted the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, where African countries had to rely on other countries for essential supplies like gloves, masks, and vaccines. Dr. Hadebe stressed the need to reduce dependency on other continents for healthcare supplies and medication. He called for a shift towards a digital-first approach in healthcare and emphasised the necessity of aggressive digital strategies, especially in relation to policies like the National Health Insurance.
Corruption has been identified as one of the major factors contributing to the collapse of healthcare systems in many African countries. Misuse of funds, bribery, and embezzlement by individuals in positions of power have resulted in limited resources, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of essential medical supplies. This corruption prevents the healthcare sector from functioning effectively and delivering quality care to the people who need it the most.