New Study Reveals Alarming Statistics on African Healthcare System: More Doctors and Nurses Witness Preventable Deaths
According to a recently released report by the global trade union federation Public Services International (PSI), an alarming 60% of Africa’s frontline doctors and nurses have reported witnessing patients die in hospital wards and waiting areas. This figure is significantly higher than the global average of 33%. The survey, which analyzed the experiences of over 2,200 unionized medical staff from 12 African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Uganda, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, also highlighted staff shortages as the leading cause of preventable deaths.
Governments in these countries are demanding more from their healthcare workers, but they provide very little support. The report found that 71% of respondents indicated that they are handling twice as many patients as they are able to adequately care for. As a result, 86% of healthcare workers have witnessed patients experiencing unnecessary pain and suffering. Furthermore, over three-quarters of respondents stated that they are expected to complete more tasks with fewer resources, while 80% complained of working longer hours than agreed upon in their contracts.
Nurse Bertha Kabali from Zambia expressed the toll that staff shortages have taken on her personal life, saying, “Staff shortages mean nurses fail to live their lives. We don’t have time to spend with our families, and we are stressed because we don’t have enough time to rest away from work.” To cope with the shortages, Kabali explained that she prioritizes tasks that have life-or-death consequences. However, this compromises the quality of care she is able to provide as she is unable to fulfill all of her duties.
Staff shortages and poor compensation are not the only factors contributing to the healthcare crisis in Africa. Many healthcare professionals have left their jobs in search of better benefits, while others have emigrated to wealthier countries. Even recent medical graduates are hesitant to join the public sector in their home countries, as rich nations continue to outsource their healthcare solutions from Africa, leaving the continent’s vulnerable populations to suffer.
Anonymous testimonies from healthcare workers in African nations highlighted a range of issues, including unpaid dues, delayed salaries, illegal contract terminations, and constant harassment from law enforcement. One healthcare worker from Nigeria’s Borno state revealed, “For the past eight years, I was denied my financial entitlement after they terminated my appointment unlawfully which I worked for.” Another respondent from Zimbabwe expressed financial hardship, stating that their pay is “below the poverty datum line” and working conditions are poor. The emotional and mental health needs of medical workers often go unmet, as many African governments prioritize other areas of investment over mental health care.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned last year that Africa is projected to face a shortage of 6.1 million health workers by 2030, a 45% increase from 2013. The PSI report confirms that the supply of health workers in Africa remains significantly below the WHO threshold of 4.45 workers per 1,000 population, which is necessary to achieve universal health coverage. A recent study conducted across 47 African countries revealed that the region currently has only 1.55 health workers per 1,000 people, leaving at least 37 countries without sufficient healthcare providers.
If world governments fail to invest more in the health sector, the World Bank estimates a global shortage of 15 million health workers by 2030. Daniel Bertossa, PSI’s assistant general secretary, emphasized the urgent need for increased public investment in healthcare systems, stating, “Insufficient public investment in our healthcare systems is creating life-threatening risks for both patients and staff.” The impact of this neglect is already evident, with 70% of healthcare workers in Africa feeling betrayed by their governments during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the PSI survey.
Overall, these findings paint a dire picture of Africa’s healthcare system, calling for immediate action and support to address the critical issues plaguing the industry.
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
