COVER STORY
history understand that the faster the rate of growth in manufacturing , the faster the GDP growth .
China transformed itself , and the world economy by being a manufacturing powerhouse , and selling abroad . So did Vietnam and Bangladesh . Bangladesh , a country far poorer than many African countries , can manufacture 97 % of its pharmaceuticals , even though it ’ s just next door to India which together with China are the largest producers of API ( active pharmaceutical ingredients ).
MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRIALIZATION
The keywords are manufacturing and industrialization .
The challenges facing the health services sector in Africa is numerous and severe . These include shortages of health care professionals , weak leadership , training and development , governance , infrastructure , resources and policy barriers .
This crisis has severely tested Africa ’ s political , economic and social resilience . African leaders must rethink prior assumptions and ask themselves where they see their countries in 2030 and 2050 ( when the population will be at 2.5 billion ). Africa must adopt progressive industrial policies that puts social and environmental consciousness firmly at the core of its decision-making to create an inclusive , prosperous and sustainable societies . Africa must think ahead .
It ’ s high time the old ideas and ways are thrown out , new forwardthinking innovative ideas and policies are designed and executed .
What will the brave new world post covid-19 look like in Africa ? Personally , I believe opportunities are emerging , it ’ s time to rise to the challenges . It ’ s time to turn adversity into opportunities .
Africa cannot allow itself to be marginalize anymore . The valuable resource in Africa isn ’ t oil , diamonds , cocoa etc , it ’ s African ’ s . Africa has 35 out of its 54 countries in the highly export-commodity-dependent category ( referring to countries with 80 % or higher dependency ). This is an opportunity for Africans to rise , industrialize and add value to the continent ’ s vast raw materials .
In 2001 , African leaders pledged to invest around 15 % of their budgets in health but fast forward today only five countries have fulfilled this promise . There ’ s no doubt today that the health sector in Africa will be strengthened by covid-19 .
Many African countries have already been deprived access to essential medical supplies during this pandemic -- surgical masks , PPE and so forth . Excessive global demand has relegated Africa to the back of the queue . This is an early warning and lesson for Africa .
According to a 2019 McKinsey study , China and India supply 70 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa ’ s demand for medicine , worth $ 14 billion . China ’ s and India ’ s markets are worth $ 120 billion and $ 33 billion respectively . Just consider this – what if both India and China are unable or unwilling to supply the African market ? Clearly , Africa will face a health hazard .
The restrictions introduced by the US and European countries for exports of vital medicines , reagents , respiratory or personal protective equipment affect African countries heavily . It is a wake-up call to think about how the continent should deal with pharmaceutical regulation , health-related procurement and manufacture of medicines and products in areas that are critical for disease control and protect well-being .
Billions of people today await a vaccine that ends this pandemic . Ideally the vaccine will be patent-free , rapidly produced and distributed , and free for all . No African country should be pushed to the back of the vaccine queue . The dependency syndrome Africa remains highly dependent on foreign funding and imports of pharmaceuticals . The production of health equipment and consumables follows a similar pattern . Covid19 has demonstrated a hidden capacity to produce masks , tests , and other essentials throughout Africa . This capacity should be nurtured . This must be a shifting point towards greater reliance on African-produced health products , coupled with investments in R & D .
Industrialized countries became rich by manufacturing and exporting to others , including high-quality goods and services e . g China , Japan , Korea . Poor African countries remain poor because they continue to produce raw materials for rich countries . For example , 70 % of global trade in agriculture is in semi-processed and processed products , cocoa , coffee , cashew , sesame , etc . Africa is largely absent in this market while the region only remains
21 africanthinker . com