The African Development Bank and its partners have launched a comprehensive guide that shares practical strategies to ensure equitable access to health infrastructure for sustainable development in Africa. The Guidance for Developing Inclusive Health Infrastructure, co-authored by the Bank, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Arup and WaterAid, was unveiled at the first anniversary of the UNOPS Regional Office for Africa, held in November 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya.
According to the African Development Bank, access to health infrastructure is unevenly distributed across the continent, with wide disparities in coverage in rural areas and often of poor quality. Dalila Gonçalves, UNOPS Regional Director for Africa, highlighted the importance of the publication, describing it as a key resource on inclusive practices for governments, health planners, operators and other stakeholders seeking to develop sustainable and equitable health systems.
Hendrina Doroba, Division Manager for Education and Skills Development for Eastern Africa at the African Development Bank, highlighted the Bank’s key role in addressing healthcare infrastructure gaps. She noted the organization’s unique position as a key financier of infrastructure, leveraging its core expertise, while partnering with other development partners to support national health systems strengthening plans. Peter Ogwang, Chief Health Analyst at the Bank’s Eastern Africa Regional Office, was also present in Nairobi.
The guide identifies three categories of strategic health infrastructure that are aligned with the African Development Bank’s adaptive approach to address the diverse health care needs of member countries:
Primary health care infrastructure for underserved populations, with a focus on developing comprehensive infrastructure linked to essential services such as water and sanitation, energy, transport and communication services.
Investments in the development of advanced medical systems, including secondary and tertiary health care facilities with specialized centres for cancer, dialysis and pain management, particularly in countries with a growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
Diagnostic infrastructure, using innovative delivery models, including public-private partnerships (PPPs) to address severe diagnostic bottlenecks on the continent.
By Ms. Chantal Massembo
Source: AfDB