ECA, Dangote Foundation, GBCHealth seek Africa health solution

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), in partnership with GBCHealth and the Aliko Dangote Foundation, is bringing together African leaders and other high profile personalities to discuss the continent’s health challenges and opportunities for investment.

The partners have organized a meeting themed Africa’s Health and Financing: Pathways to Economic Growth and Prosperity which will be held at the United Nations headquarters in New York on 27 September, 2018 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

It will bring together a number of African leaders, CEOs and business leaders, philanthropists, as well as high level representatives of the African Union, United Nations, and the African Development Bank to discuss issues relating to health financing in Africa, and early messages from the report on Healthcare and Economic Growth in Africa.

Clearly, African business entreprenuers are waking up to the reality that good health is good business, and investing in health is both a business and social imperative

By 2030, business opportunities in the health and wellness sector will reach $1.8 trillion in current prices (Business and Sustainable Development Commission). Opportunities are primarily in risk pooling and technological advances including remote patient monitoring and telehealth.

Overall, integrated health programing will support the development of resilient health systems allowing for a higher standard of preventative healthcare, improved surveillance to reduce the likelihood of outbreaks spreading, and rapid response in case of emergency.

The meeting offers the opportunity to spotlight the private sector’s engagements and commitments in health during UNGA. It will also serve as an opportunity to consult and build support for a number of activities in advance of the African Business: Health Forum in early February 2019.