NELSON MANDELA’S PUBLIC HEALTH LEGACY

N e l s o n M a n d e l a ’ s P u b l i c H e a l t h L e g a c y

Dima Jiad

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Nelson Mandela was undoubtedly one of the 20th century’s most prominent and influential leaders. His name is almost

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synonymous with the universal struggle for human rights, for justice and dignity, and equal opportunities for all. His staunch oppo opposition of the racist apartheid regime in his native South Africa landed him twenty seven years in prison, only to be elected President and to advocate for forgiveness to the proponents of apartheid and oppression. Although he is less known for his contribution to healthcare both in his country and on a global scale, his influence has been monumental, but overshadowed by his political achievements.

In the simplest of terms, the end of the apartheid regime in South Africa brought a revolution in healthcare in the country simply due to the abolishment of segregation. People of all races had access to the best quality resources available. There were no longer white ambulances and non-white ambulances, segregated labour wards, and second class care for people of non-white race. All citizens had equal access to healthcare services provided by the government, as Mandela believed that healthcare was a universal human right for everybody, including, and especially, the very poor. To further emphasize this, during his time as President, his government adopted a new constitution that aimed to improve quality of life for all citizens of his country.

During Mandela’s time in office, HIV infection rates were doubling in the African continent, and he witnessed the rise of the AIDS epidemic, the impact of which led to his greatest contributions to health on an international scale on the subject. Now an international figure, Mandela used his celebrity and influence to battle the stigma around AIDS, which is arguably his most significant contribution to public health worldwide. According to Michel Sidibe, the head of the UNAIDS, Mandela’s influence “helped save millions of lives and transformed healthcare in Africa”. Among his strongest beliefs was that eradicating the stigma around AIDS was a crucial step to controlling the spread of HIV and to propagating its treatment, a belief which ultimately turned out to be true as many world leaders were influenced to take measures to screen and provide retroviral therapy for HIV positive individuals. So strong was his belief that when his son died in 2005, he called on reporters to tell them that his son died of AIDS, proof of his personal dedication to remove the taboo around the condition.

Public health is only one small chapter of this man's colossal legacy. His compassion for others and inspiring leadership, along with his contributions to the health of all people, will undoubtedly leave their mark on generations to come and pave the way for better healthcare access for all.