By John Ikani
The African Development Bank (AfDB) says it has developed a strategy for Quality Health Infrastructure in Africa to support member countries in accelerating development in the sector.
The bank’s Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development, Dr Beth Dunford stated this in Abuja at a Health Conference.
She said the goal was to secure increased access to quality health services for Africans by 2030 and improve the living standard of the people through the Sustainable development Goal 3 and the African Union Agenda 2063; To accelerate the development of quality health infrastructure and to ensure individuals and communities receive the health services they need without financial hardship.
Dr Dunford also outlined three category areas of focus of the Strategy to including the construction of Primary Health Care infrastructure for under-served populations with Support investment to ensure the facilities are connected to water and sanitation, energy, transport and communication Services.
Other categories include the development of new secondary and tertiary health care facilities alongside Specialist centres for cancer, dialysis and pain management.
Also, Diagnostic infrastructure that utilizes divers’ delivery models, including public-private collaboration to address serious bottlenecks in efficient and effective diagnosis of diseases across the continent.
She said the bank launched a COVID-19 rapid response, committing to provide up to USD10 bn of which USD 4 billion was disbursed last year to African Governments.
She also said the bank also rolled out a USD 3 billion COVID-19 social bond; the largest dollar demonstrated social bond launched in the international capital market at the time.
Dr Dunford added that the Bank’s investment in health infrastructure will be packaged with knowledge work, policy dialogue and technical assistance, in partnership with other health sector actors.
