POSTED September 3, 2019
WHO: healthcare not accessible to half of the world’s population
Fragile regions of the world lag behind when it comes to medical needs
Every day we hear stories of people unable to access healthcare. Why? Fragility, armed conflict and recurring natural disasters are the main factors contributing to more than two-billion people living in nations where healthcare systems often are not prioritized, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
While countries most affected aren’t always the poorest, the ones with the weakest health systems are in conflict zones, said Dr. Peter Salama, WHO deputy director-general for emergency preparedness and response, at the time of a panel on global health and security last year.
“People often think once the conflict is over then health systems start to rebuild,” said Natalie Page, health advisor with Medair, a non-profit working in both South Sudan and DRC. “It takes years of investment to rebuild health systems. You can’t churn out midwives or doctors overnight.”
At Christian Children’s Fund of Canada, we build health centres and provide health supplies to fill gaps above what governments can provide. We support pre-natal care and safe deliveries through health-education sessions and training health workers, among other activities.
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