Ethiopia’s Meles urges more Africa health funding

ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has called on international donors to substantially increase funding to deal with health problems affecting millions in Africa.

“The magnitude of the challenge we face in the health area and the urgency with which the challenge needs to be addressed makes effective international co-operation indispensable … ,” Meles said at the opening of last week’s five-day World Health Organisation (WHO) conference on Africa, without giving figures.He said efforts by the Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiative, the Global Fund to fight HIV-AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and US President George W Bush’s initiative for financing health programmes were bearing fruits.But he added that more needed to be done.”Demanding programmes like those for HIV-AIDS, malaria, TB are putting pressure on the health system in Africa,” Meles said.”A rapid and accelerated reduction of the magnitude of the health problems facing our countries …would need improved and effective partnership with Africa by the international community and a far more effective assistance to the continent,” he said.The conference, in which ministers from 46 countries participated, discussed ways to boost HIV prevention, improving child survival, health financing and expanded immunisation initiatives.Sub-Saharan Africa is the region hardest hit by the AIDS epidemic, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the estimated 40 million people infected with HIV globally.Experts say lack of funding and a shortage of health workers are major problems in fighting diseases in Africa.Nampa-Reuters,” Meles said at the opening of last week’s five-day World Health Organisation (WHO) conference on Africa, without giving figures.He said efforts by the Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiative, the Global Fund to fight HIV-AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and US President George W Bush’s initiative for financing health programmes were bearing fruits.But he added that more needed to be done.”Demanding programmes like those for HIV-AIDS, malaria, TB are putting pressure on the health system in Africa,” Meles said.”A rapid and accelerated reduction of the magnitude of the health problems facing our countries …would need improved and effective partnership with Africa by the international community and a far more effective assistance to the continent,” he said.The conference, in which ministers from 46 countries participated, discussed ways to boost HIV prevention, improving child survival, health financing and expanded immunisation initiatives.Sub-Saharan Africa is the region hardest hit by the AIDS epidemic, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the estimated 40 million people infected with HIV globally.Experts say lack of funding and a shortage of health workers are major problems in fighting diseases in Africa.Nampa-Reuters