G R O W I N G T H E B U S I N E S S O F H E A LT H I N A F R I C A
Dr. Amit N. Thakker, Chairman of Africa Health Business (left) engages with Dr. Awa Marie Coll Seck, Minister of Health, Senegal (right) and Dr. Ardo Boubou Bâ, President of Alliance Nationale du Secteur Privé de la Santé Senegal/ASPS (centre) at the launch of the West African Private Healthcare Federation (WAPHF)
commercial companies, non-profit organizations, social enterprises as well as an informal health sector of healers, midwives, and individual medicine sellers who are essential in providing care and in functionality cover all of the elements along the health value chain, including provision, financing, manufacturing, distribution and retail. ‘Of total health expenditure of $16.7 billion in 2005, roughly 60 percent—predominantly out-ofpocket payments by individuals—was financed by private parties, and about 50 percent was captured by
private providers’ (NHA Report) A huge gap in healthcare delivery is filled by the private sector, catering for a large proportion of medical needs for the rural populations that are unable to access government facilities, to providing a higher quality service, or services such as advanced medical equipment and procedures that may otherwise not be available. This not only reduces the strain on the public sector to serve the needs of the increasing population, but also leads to improved and efficient health outcomes across the region.
w w w. a f r i c a h e a l t h b u s i n e s s . c o m
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