Soaring health costs in Africa drove 384 million people into poverty in 2022, igniting a humanitarian crisis that forces families to choose between medicine and meals, a WHO-World Bank report shows.
Families across the continent confront agonizing decisions daily as out-of-pocket payments for healthcare devour household budgets.
Mothers skip treatments to feed their children, farmers sell precious livestock to cover hospital bills, and elders forgo essential medications to keep roofs over their heads.
These stark trade-offs deepen vulnerability, trapping millions in cycles of illness and destitution.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s Regional Director for Africa, declares that such costs “instantly bend the trajectory of someone’s life toward financial hardship and ill health,” urging immediate reforms to shield the poorest from ruin.
Women, children, rural dwellers, and multigenerational households suffer most, as high expenses exacerbate inequalities and block access to life-saving services.
The report exposes how Africa, home to 17% of the world’s population, bears nearly a quarter of global health-driven poverty cases.
Over 423 million Africans faced financial hardship from these payments in 2022, with medicines and outpatient care devouring the lion’s share of expenses.
In 11 countries, out-of-pocket costs exceed half of all health spending, while two nations see them surpass 70%.
This reliance on personal funds undermines progress in service coverage, which climbed from 54 to 71 points since 2000, thanks to gains in maternal care, infectious disease control, and noncommunicable disease management.
Humanitarian advocates warn that without swift action, the crisis will worsen.
Governments must boost domestic health investments, expand risk-pooling insurance, and fortify primary care to make services free at the point of need for vulnerable groups.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, stresses that “for billions who cannot access or afford health services, that right remains out of reach,” calling on nations to prioritize protections amid global aid cuts.
As Universal Health Coverage Day unfolds today, leaders rally for equity, aiming to reverse the tide that leaves the continent’s most fragile on the brink of survival.
