Africare President Julius E. Coles at the Africare booth at the Grand Central Station Africa Health Day exhibition in New York.

Actor Danny Glover and Mr. Coles at an Africa Health Day event.

Basketball player Dikembe Mutombo and Mr. Coles celebrate Africa Health Day. Photos by Africare

Africare Teams with the World Health Organization, AMREF USA, and Medilinks to Sponsor Africa Health Day 2004

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 2004 — Although Africa is the richest continent, it has historically been perceived as a continent of relentless humanitarian emergencies caused by political instability, disease, famine, and war. However, there are many positive development initiatives in Africa that have succeeded and flourished. The Africa Health Day events highlighted those positive programs in health in Africa and offered opportunities to explore how to build a bridge to sustainable development.

The public centerpiece of Africa Health Day was an exhibition held February 18-20 at the Grand Central Terminal in New York. More than 50 US-based organizations, including nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), institutions, foundations, and other private sector bodies, participated in the exhibition, which featured some of the wide-ranging best practices and programs in the areas of HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, child and maternal health, water and sanitation, and poverty alleviation that are flourishing and succeeding throughout the African continent.

As part of the events surrounding Africa Health Day, Africare President Julius E. Coles participated in a panel discussion at the United Nations in New York on February 19. In addition to Mr. Coles, this event, entitled "Collaboration with Civil Society and Private Sector to Make a Difference in Health Development in Africa," featured Dr. Stephen Joseph, AMREF USA Board Member; Ms. Mora McLean, President, Africa-America Institute; Mr. Stephen Hayes, President, Corporate Council on Africa; Mr. Raymond V. Gilmartin, CEO, Merck & Co., Inc.; and Dr. Ebrahim Samba, World Health Organization Regional Director for Africa.

At the event, Mr. Coles spoke of the difference an NGO can bring to health development in Africa. "Global health has moved higher up the political agenda today as governments are increasingly aware that health is key to poverty reduction and development," Mr. Coles noted. "Over the past decade, there has been a growing realization that poverty and health are closely linked."

Recent reports from the World Bank and the UN have revealed that malaria, pneumonia, diarrheal diseases, measles, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis are the largest contributors to the health gap between poor people in Africa and rich people in Western countries. NGOs have been very important in showing that it is possible to reverse the incidence of infectious diseases and reproductive health conditions—even in the poorest countries.

Mr. Coles presented many examples of differences NGOs have made in improving health in Africa. For instance, NGOs from both developing and industrialized countries are helping to raise important health issues and tackle various problems through awareness raising and advocacy. In Benin, Africare is working with the HIV/AIDS national coordinating body to improve the policy environment for HIV/AIDS prevention and the collaboration between donors and the public and private sectors.

Where individuals and groups have been marginalized, such as the disabled, people living with HIV/AIDS, and orphans and vulnerable children, NGOs have helped to give them a voice through the formation of local community groups. In Uganda, Africare has strengthened the skills of women to mobilize financial and other resources to support the orphans in their communities.

American NGOs and their counterparts abroad promote participatory democracy, economic development, and long-term sustainable development in Africa, all of which contribute to greater health for all. In Zimbabwe, Africare, through the Soybean Linkage Project, has increased household income for small-scale soybean producers by linking them to private buyers and suppliers, thus improving their economic well-being and household nutrition.

Mr. Coles observed that "NGOs work hand-in-hand with governments and other actors in civil society to fill the gaps where they exist; NGOs act as catalysts for change in individuals, communities, and whole nations; and NGOs help make a difference and promote health as a human right."

Africare has a long history of working to improve health for the African people at both community and national levels, while serving as a bridge between the two. Africare's contributions in the health and HIV/AIDS sector have included: implementing health programs to link marginal communities with private and public health care systems; developing models for the community-based distribution of various health products, such as contraceptives and malaria drugs; and maternal and child health programs that include immunization and control of diarrheal disease. The success of its community-based strategy has allowed Africare to become a national health policy partner in countries such as Nigeria, where a Development Policy Think Tank has been established. It also informs Africare's HIV/AIDS strategy, which is specifically designed to empower individuals, community-based organizations, and community leaders to talk openly about the disease, make informed choices, and take action to address the impact of HIV/AIDS in the community.

Mr. Coles summarized his presentation by saying that "the lessons learned from various countries in Africa and elsewhere is that only when national governments work with civil society, especially NGOs, can real development occur, can poverty be alleviated, and progress on the continent be made—especially in terms of raising the health status of the populace."

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