Climate change may deal the knock-out blow to the battered and barely standing health system in Africa. The health system in Congo can be described as hollow or skeletal. Its national health system is well defined and organized. But the system lacks sufficient numbers of qualified health care workers, medicines, equipment, supplies, transportation, and etc. Until last year, I had never seen two doctors in Bulape. Pictured are Dr. Joseph Kambala (incoming) and Dr. Bernard Ngoy (outgoing). Last fall, a second doctor was assigned. That's two doctors for 100,000 people!
Link: IRIN AFRICA: Climate change linked to spread of disease | News Item.
BRAZZAVILE, 9 April 2008 (IRIN) - Climate change is emerging as a major threat to health and adding pressure on public health systems, especially in Africa, a senior UN official has said.
Climate change, he added, is thought to directly contribute to changes in the geographic distribution of vector-borne diseases such as malaria and epidemics of meningococcal meningitis, Rift Valley fever and cholera in previously unaffected areas.
In terms of health capacity, Africa faces a crisis. For example, it has 14 percent of the world population and 25 percent of the global disease burden - yet it has only 1.3 percent of global health workers.
To improve the situation, according to the WHO, one million more health workers are immediately needed in Africa. Facilities in health centres also need major improvements.
REFLECTIONS:
Until reading this article, I had dismissed the effects of climate change on the health system. I thought climate change would only cause a rise in sea levels, accelerates erosion of coastal zones, increases the intensity and frequency of natural disasters and accelerates the extinction of species.
A shift in common diseases of Congo could cause big problems. An increase of malaria would be deadly in areas not formerly affected by malaria. The poor typically try to treat diseases with home and herbal remedies before seeking medical help.
The shortage of doctors and other health care workers is a real problem now. The lack of adequate health facilities is real problem now, too. If climate change is a myth, Congo and other African countries still have these problems to keep them busy for a long time.
PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Father, forgive the rich nations of the world for bringing us to the brink of radical climate changes. Help us to assist Africa now. Help us to prepare Africa for any climate change in the future. In your name, AMEN.
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