Africa’s health standards are likely to reflect the breadth and diversity of the continent. The various regional blocks’ cultures are reflected in their healthcare systems. In North and Sub-Saharan Africa, the disparities between public and private health insurance are significant. For example, the continent’s larger and more robust economies have reasonable, albeit overburdened, public health systems. The private facilities tend to be more advanced, although they mostly serve foreign and affluent families. in this article, we shall be focusing on Affordable Health Care Options in Africa.
“Affordable healthcare in Africa” refers to the availability of high-quality healthcare services to the majority of the population, regardless of income level, without causing them to suffer from severe financial hardship. This is frequently discussed in relation to the goal of “Universal Health Coverage” (UHC), which is to provide everyone with access to necessary healthcare without incurring financial burdens.
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UHC ensures that no community or individual faces financial hardship while receiving the necessary health services. It covers the entire range of vital, high-quality health services, including palliative care, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and health promotion.
Everyone can obtain services that address the leading causes of illness and mortality thanks to UHC, which also makes sure that the quality of such services is high enough to enhance the health of individuals who receive them.
People are less likely to fall into poverty when they are shielded from the financial burden of paying for medical care out of pocket. This is because unexpected illness forces people to spend their life savings, sell assets, or take out loans, ruining their futures and frequently their children’s. The supply of primary care providers per capita is lower in rural areas compared to urban areas, according to Supply and Distribution of the Primary Care Workforce in Rural America: 2019.
Traveling to reach a primary care provider may be costly and burdensome for patients living in remote rural areas, with subspecialty care often even farther away. These patients may substitute local primary care providers for subspecialists, or they may decide to postpone or forego care. If patients do not have access to primary care or subspecialty care, they may use emergency department (ED) services for their healthcare needs.
In order to get universal health coverage (UHC) in Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests primary health care (PHC). PHC is an economical strategy that can enhance social cohesion and health results.
Barriers to Accessing Affordable Healthcare Options in Africa
Transportation and Distance
People living in rural areas are more likely to have to travel far to receive medical care, especially subspecialist care. In terms of travel time, expense, and time away from work, this can be a major hardship. Another obstacle to care is the absence of dependable transportation. Patients can typically use public transportation in cities to travel to doctor’s visits, but in rural and sometimes urban locations, these services are frequently insufficient.
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Elderly people in rural areas are frequently more likely to have chronic illnesses that necessitate frequent trips to outpatient clinics. Without access to either private or public transportation, this becomes difficult. For rural locations, the Transportation to Support Rural Healthcare topic guide offers resources and information on transportation and other topics.
Lack of Workers
Rural communities’ access to healthcare is impacted by a shortage of healthcare workers. Having a consistent source of care is one indicator of healthcare access, and it depends on having a sufficient number of healthcare professionals. Other indicators, such as measures of nonuse that count rural residents who could not find an appropriate care provider, can further provide estimates of whether a sufficient healthcare workforce is available to rural or urban residents.
Health Literacy
Low health literacy can make residents reluctant to seek healthcare because they are afraid or frustrated about speaking with a healthcare professional, and it can be challenging to navigate the healthcare system without health literacy skills. Health literacy also affects a patient’s ability to understand health information and instructions from their healthcare providers. This can be particularly problematic in rural communities, where residents are frequently affected by lower educational levels and higher rates of poverty.
Privacy Concerns and Social Stigma
Social stigma and privacy concerns are more likely to be obstacles to accessing healthcare in rural areas due to the lack of anonymity. Due to discomfort or privacy concerns, people living in rural areas may be reluctant to seek treatment for mental health issues, substance abuse, sexual health issues, pregnancy, or even common chronic illnesses.
Personal relationships with their healthcare provider or other staff members may be the cause of the patient’s uneasiness. Furthermore, patients may experience anxiety or worry that other residents—who are frequently friends, family, or coworkers—will observe them using services for medical illnesses that are not usually discussed in public, such as HIV testing or counseling.
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- Government-backed health insurance programs like those in Ghana, Kenya, and Morocco
- Community-based health insurance (CBHI) programs in different nations. CBHI schemes are found in several African nations, where communities pool money to pay for medical care.
- Private health insurance companies like “Med-Plus HMO” in Nigeria and “Discovery Health” in South Africa
- Using public health facilities, especially for primary healthcare needs.
- Depending on the nation, options like Cigna Africa Assist plans and mobile-based insurance platforms may also be deemed affordable.
- Facilities for public health: It may be less expensive to use government-run clinics for primary healthcare services.
- Platforms for mobile-based insurance: Certain insurance providers provide mobile app-accessible plans, which could reduce premiums.
- Public-private partnerships: Many African countries are exploring models that combine public funding with private healthcare providers to improve affordability and quality.
- Using HMOs: In Nigeria, a health maintenance organization (HMO) provides health insurance plans that cover diagnostic procedures, preventive treatment, and consultations with specialists. HMO International Company Limited, Anchor: An HMO in Nigeria that gives people and businesses access to high-quality medical care. The Bestmed Health Plan: A South African health plan that continuously receives good marks for customer satisfaction.
- Having access to information on health-related matters.
- Private-Government Partnerships: Many companies with access to top-notch facilities open their doors to the public with the government in support, helping to make healthcare accessible to all.
7 Importance of Affordable Healthcare Options in Africa
Some important affordable healthcare options in Africa are:
- Early disease detection
- Coordination of care
- Reduced mortality rates from heart disease, cancer, and all causes
- Decrease in low birth weight
- Better health-related habits
- Better general health
- Reduced medical expenses
Conclusion
According to WHO , the goal of universal health coverage is to ensure that all people obtain the health services they need without suffering financial hardship when paying for them.
It aims to provide health care and financial protection to all people in a given country with three related objectives:
- Equity in access—everyone who needs health services should get them, and not simply those who can pay for them;
- Quality of health services—good enough to improve the health of those receiving the services;
- Financial-risk protection—ensuring that the cost of healthcare does not put people at risk of financial hardship.