[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”!!! PLEASE DO NOT EDIT !!!” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”!!! PLEASE DO NOT EDIT !!!” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.19.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”TO BE EDITED – SUMMARY – Click on the WHEEL icon to open the textarea where you can paste or type your summary. The summary condenses the main points for the news that starts below. The summary is in bold and not longer than 300 characters, including spaces. The counter at the bottom can help.” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||20px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
The U.S. withdrawal from the WHO and pause in foreign aid present a dual challenge and opportunity for African nations to transition from donor-dependency to self-reliance in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). By leveraging regional cooperation, local manufacturing, and strong civil society involvement, Africa can strengthen its health systems and enhance its capacity to address public health challenges independently.<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”TO BE EDITED – TEXT OF THE NEWS – BLOCK 1 – Click on the WHEEL icon to open the textarea where you can paste or type your news. PLEASE USE ONLY THE FEATURED IMAGE FUNCTION on your right column to add the image.” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||1em||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n The recent withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the 90-day pause in foreign aid under President Donald Trump have ignited significant discussions around global health, particularly concerning Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Critics warn that this move threatens the long-standing commitment to \u201cleave no one behind,\u201d while some view it as a chance for Africa to strengthen its public health systems and shift from donor-dependency to self-sufficiency. The \u201cTracking Universal Health Coverage: 2023 Global Monitoring Report\u201d highlights alarming statistics: 4.5 billion people worldwide lack access to affordable quality care, with 2 billion facing financial hardship and 1.3 billion being driven into poverty due to out-of-pocket health costs. For many developing nations reliant on U.S. funding for essential health programs like Tuberculosis, Malaria, maternal and child health, and HIV\/AIDS, the reduction of foreign aid could exacerbate these issues.<\/p>\n While this geopolitical shift reveals the fragility of donor-dependent systems, it also offers a critical opportunity for African nations to rethink and enhance their health sovereignty in line with a new public health order. This will necessitate a comprehensive approach involving robust political commitment and active civil society engagement. The U.S. has historically played a significant role in global health through initiatives like the President\u2019s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has saved millions of lives. However, legal challenges are arising around the unilateral nature of the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO, as Congress seeks to obstruct this move, underscoring the organization\u2019s vital role in global health security.<\/p>\n In light of the U.S. withdrawal and the retreat from international agreements, the WHO is now urging innovative financing solutions, while philanthropic groups and emerging economies like the BRICS nations are considering increasing their contributions. Their involvement, however, ought to encompass more than just financial aid but also technical collaboration and knowledge sharing. The situation particularly highlights Africa\u2019s dependency on foreign aid to achieve UHC. The continent’s response to COVID-19 showcased its potential for regional cooperation and innovation, but it also revealed weaknesses, mainly the reliance on external sources for medical supplies. Nevertheless, several African nations are taking steps to enhance local vaccine production, with leaders advocating for increased domestic resource mobilization.<\/p>\n The African Union\u2019s new public health order aims to consolidate these advancements by emphasizing institutional fortification, local manufacturing, and boosting domestic health financing. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) stand as critical partners in this endeavor, acting as bridges between marginalized communities and policymakers, advocating for the realization of UHC goals, and thus playing an indispensable role in this transformative journey.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”TO BE EDITED – TEXT OF THE NEWS – BLOCK 2 – Click on the WHEEL icon to open the textarea where you can paste or type your news. PLEASE USE ONLY THE FEATURED IMAGE FUNCTION on your right column to add the image.” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The U.S. withdrawal from the WHO and pause in foreign aid present a dual challenge and opportunity for African nations to transition from donor-dependency to self-reliance in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). By leveraging regional cooperation, local manufacturing, and strong civil society involvement, Africa can strengthen its health systems and enhance its capacity to address…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2098,"featured_media":987760618,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"categories":[],"tags":[115,117,133],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/987757142"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2098"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=987757142"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/987757142\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":987760623,"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/987757142\/revisions\/987760623"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/987760618"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=987757142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=987757142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=987757142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}