1 Revitalizing health in Africa: the role of new technologies and transnational networks Alex Ezeh Executive Director, APHRC Conference on Africa’s New Frontier: Innovation. Technology. Prosperity. February 5, 2010, Ottawa

2 Summary  After sustained improvement, SSA experienced serious reversals in development indicators from the mid 1980s  From mid-2000s, many countries have experienced a positive trend in indicators e.g. IMR, life expectancy, HIV prevalence…  To sustain these improvements, we need: Continued improvement in access to simple, low cost technologies Increased attention to strengthening health systems, especially HIS and HRH Build on successful models based on context-specific evidence Strengthen the role of transnational networks, esp. S-S partnerships

3 Life expectancy at birth: SSA & the World Source: United Nations 2005; PRB 2009

4 Improve access to low cost technologies  Improved access to simple low cost technologies have been instrumental to improving health outcomes in SSA ITN, Vaccines, ORT, ART, etc  Malaria example: 18% of disease burden in U-5s, 90% globally Production of ITN doubled from 30 to 63M HH ownership over 80% in some countries but still low in others Equity issues remain MACEPA program in Zambia shows we can achieve huge progress by applying all available technologies – ITN, IRS, IPT, ACT, etc.

5 Strengthen health systems  Poor health outcomes in SSA associated with weak HS  Increasing attention to strengthening health systems Human resources – GHWA and others Health information – HMN and others

6 Build on successful models  As SSA struggled with its health challenges, it became a testing field for various interventions  Numerous health pilots were undertaken but rarely taken to scale  Efforts must focus on designing replicable models and scaling up successful ones for sustained progress  Examples: TEHIP – IDRC/IHI/Tanzania CVD in poor urban slums – APHRC/Kenya

7 Strengthen the role of evidence Before basket funding and planning tools…  After basket funding and planning tools… Aligning budgets with priorities Source:

8 DSS shows an MDG in sight… An improvement of 24% in under 5 mortality represents 39,200 fewer child deaths per year in Tanzania

9 Replicable and up-scalable pilots: APHRC CVD Prevalence, awareness & treatment for DM and HPT, adults NUHDSS Source: APHRC Data

10 Strengthen transnational partnerships  There is growing recognition of the role of transnational partnerships in sustaining progress in health indicators in SSA  Examples include: HR: Global Health Workforce Alliance (Advocacy) HIS: Health Metrics Network (Systems Strengthening) Data: INDEPTH Network (S-S research partnerships) Training: The CARTA initiatives (Research Capacity)

11 Established Research Sites APHRC Agincourt Ifakara Kemri Established African Universities Dar es Salaam Ibadan Makerere Nairobi OAU Wits Promising African Universities Malawi Moi Rwanda Northern Partners CCGHR Monash University Swiss Tropical Inst. Univ. of Colorado Univ. of Warwick WHO/TDR Nordic School Univ. of Umea, etc. Lead Institutions APHRC & Wits CARTA MEMBERS

12 Conclusion  Africa is truly on the path to recovery  The journey, however, has only just begun  Need for efforts to be sustained – avoid the mistakes with FP programs in the 1990s – 2000s  Identified areas of continued focus represent some of the areas we cannot afford to neglect at this crucial time. These include: Sustained access to simple, low cost technologies Continued strengthening of health systems, esp. HIS and HRH Build on successful models based on context-specific evidence Strengthening transnational networks, esp. S-S partnerships

13 Thank You