Executive summary (extract)
Sub-Saharan Africa’s health challenges are numerous and wide-ranging. Most sub-Saharan countries face a double burden of traditional, persisting health challenges, such as infectious diseases, malnutrition, and child and maternal mortality, and emerging challenges from an increasing prevalence of chronic conditions, mental health disorders, injuries, and health problems related to climate change and environmental
degradation. Although there has been real progress on many health indicators, life expectancy and most population health indicators remain behind most lowincome and middle-income countries in other parts of the world.
Our Commission was prompted by sub-Saharan Africa’s potential to improve health on its own terms, and largely with its own resources. The spirit of this Commission is one of evidence-based optimism, with caution…
