Advocacy for an Africa Healthy Communities Initiative
The goal would be to overcome the deep seated effects of colonization, persistent underdevelopment and an intolerable burden of disease.
Africa’s problems are numerous mutually reinforcing vicious circles which must be tackled together in a holistic manner.
Africa looks back fifty years
- The decade of the nineteen sixties and seventies were characterized by economic growth and progress in health care; it ended with the historic Alma Ata Declaration.
- The next two decades brought economic woes with structural adjustment, unexpected sociopolitical upheavals and the spread of HIV/AIDS.
- The 2000 decade began with the Millennium Development Goals that should enable Africa overcome a persisting health crisis, provided people are mobilized and resources are urgently channeled to local communities.
The way forward for Africa
- Adopt objectives, strategies and tactics for health and development, for all and by all communities, with a view to self reliance.
- Put in place a global network of actors- promoters, investors, providers, clients- that would ensure sustainable resources for local communities and promote emulation and competition between them.
- Accelerate the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by involving all hierarchical levels in multidisciplinary, multisectoral, community-based interventions targeting health and development together.
A call for Action
Because poor health is delaying the socio-economic take off in Africa, there is an urgent need for all Africans to engage in the fight for survival. The initiative will target corporate behaviour, on going activities and monitor community benefits.
All Africans and their friends must believe that we can shape our attitudes for self reliance and promote afro-optimism.
All local councils and municipal councilors are invited to promote partnerships for sharing knowledge, capacity building and resources mobilization.
All African elites everywhere, at home and abroad (in the diaspora), are invited to work together for health and development in their respective communities.
Human resources for this holistic approach exist in our communities
