Saturday, April 12, 2025
Nairobi, Kenya

Africa is facing an “unprecedented financial crisis” that could lead to an additional two to four million deaths a year, the African Union’s health agency (Africa CDC) warned on Thursday.
Members of the African Union pledged in 2001 to allocate at least 15% of their national budgets to health, but only three countries – Rwanda, Botswana and Cape Verde – have met or exceeded this target, Africa CDC said in a report.
The continent is facing a multifaceted crisis, with many countries struggling with colossal debts and facing major aid cuts from the US and other Western countries.
It also comes at a time of growing public health emergencies, with outbreaks of smallpox, Ebola, cholera and other diseases.
“Without decisive action, Africa CDC predicts that the continent could lose two decades of health progress, face an additional 2-4 million preventable deaths each year and an increased risk of an internal pandemic emerging,” the report states.

“In addition, a further 39 million Africans could be pushed into poverty by 2030 as a result of interrelated health and economic shocks,” according to the text entitled “Health financing in Africa in a new era”.
The report highlights Africa’s heavy dependence on external support: over 90% of vaccines, diagnostics, medicines and essential health products used on the continent are imported, leaving countries vulnerable to shocks to global supply chains.
“This is not just a sectoral crisis, it is an existential threat to Africa’s political, social and economic resilience, as well as to global stability,” the text also states.
The Africa CDC calls for a “three-pillar strategy” including more domestic financing, “innovative financing” to raise more funds, such as new taxes on air travel and alcohol, and infrastructure projects financed by a mix of public and private capital.

Humaniterre with AFP