By Ojoma Akor
The World Health Organization (WHO) says Africa accounts for nearly a quarter of the people pushed into poverty by health expenses globally.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, disclosed this in his statement to mark this year’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day.
He said that for too many people across the African Region, the cost of care remains a barrier that determines whether they seek treatment, delay it, or forgo it entirely.
He said, “Africa accounts for over 20% of the world’s population facing financial hardship due to health costs, and nearly a quarter of global health-driven poverty. The latest global UHC report shows that in 2022, more than 423 million people in Africa faced financial hardship due to out-of-pocket health spending, with over 384 million pushed into, or further into, poverty.”
Dr Janabi said that out-of-pocket payments still dominate health financing in much of the region, adding that in 31 member states, they account for more than a quarter of all health expenditure; in 11 countries, more than half; and in two countries, more than 70%.
These financial pressures force families into impossible choices, between care and food, between medicines and school fees, between dignity and survival, he said.
He said, “These are not statistics. They are the lived realities of households selling assets, postponing care, or slipping deeper into vulnerability.”
He also said the same report also highlights encouraging progress, explaining that between 2015 and 2022/23, the African Region improved across all components of the UHC Service Coverage Index: maternal and child health, infectious and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), and service capacity and access.
According to him, Africa recorded the world’s most significant gains in NCD service coverage, driven primarily by lower tobacco use.
While saying these advances show what is possible with sustained commitment, he said progress is uneven and that financial protection remains the most stubborn challenge.
He said, “High health costs continue to undermine efforts to reduce poverty, prevent disability, and increase survival. Women, children, older persons, and rural households bear the greatest burden.”
The WHO regional director called on governments, partners, civil society, and communities to accelerate reforms to make health care affordable for everyone.
He said priorities must include:
“Increasing domestic investment in health to reduce the burden from out-of-pocket spending.
-Expanding universal prepayment and risk-pooling systems, with a focus on the poorest and most vulnerable.
-Strengthening primary health care, which remains the most equitable and cost-effective path to UHC.
-Investing in the health workforce, facilities, supply chains, and data systems to ensure not only access to care, but access to quality care.
-Prioritizing equity to reach communities that are consistently left behind.
-Improving transparency and accountability, using disaggregated data to track progress and direct resources where they are most needed,” he said.
He also said that with new regional and global evidence in hand, 2025 offers a pivotal opportunity to accelerate financial protection reforms and advance health for all.
“The WHO African Region stands ready to support governments with policy guidance, tailored technical expertise, and data-driven decision-making. Let’s turn commitment into action. Let’s build resilient, inclusive, and equitable health systems that shield people from financial hardship – systems that uphold dignity, expand opportunity, and ensure that every person can exercise their right to health, without financial barriers,” he added.
