{"id":31213,"date":"2022-12-11T14:27:18","date_gmt":"2022-12-11T14:27:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/young-people-are-key-in-fixing-africas-public-health-officials"},"modified":"2022-12-11T14:50:01","modified_gmt":"2022-12-11T14:50:01","slug":"young-people-are-key-in-fixing-africas-public-health-officials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/photo\/young-people-are-key-in-fixing-africas-public-health-officials","title":{"rendered":"Young people are key in fixing Africa\u2019s public health \u2013 officials"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>Young people have been called upon to take the lead in addressing Africa\u2019s public health challenges, which make the continent more vulnerable to diseases.<\/p>\n

The call was made at a youth pre-conference taking place in Kigali ahead of the 2nd Annual International Conference on Public Health in Africa due next week, organised by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).<\/p>\n

The past three years of Covid-19 have highlighted the need to promote Africa\u2019s long-term preparedness for future pandemics and respond to other health security issues, experts say.<\/p>\n

With young people constituting over 65 per cent of Africa\u2019s population, officials say, their meaningful engagement has the potential of positively impacting the continent\u2019s public health security.<\/p>\n

Issues at hand include the continent\u2019s disease burden, research output, among others.<\/p>\n

\u201cPublic health is not for doctors, nurses and epidemiologists; it is for the people, for the youth and for everyone. The Covid-19 pandemic we have gone through for the past three years has demonstrated that we need to invest and strengthen our health systems,\u201d Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, the Minister of Health said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom a scientific perspective, Africa has more than 50 per cent of the global disease burden, look at HIV, Malaria, TB, both infectious and non-communicable diseases. But Africa contributes only 1 to 2 per cent of global research output,\u201d Nsanzimana said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, we have the biggest problem in terms of disease burden, but our contribution to the solutions is only two per cent of research output. This is the biggest mismatch I\u2019ve ever seen in my career that we must address as urgently as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said that addressing Africa\u2019s public health challenges will need concerted effort by mostly young people.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe solution doesn\u2019t need to come from overseas, it has to come from us, from you the young people in medical and non-medical schools,\u201d Nsanzimana said.<\/p>\n

Though it is not possible to fix the past, he said, it is possible to change the present and the future if Africans take action.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we make small innovations, all put together, we will see big changes in our health systems. Africa will move from 2 per cent of research output to 50 or even to 100 per cent, because we must solve our problems 100 per cent,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He commended Africa CDC for being a key player in ensuring more people are mobilised to take the continent\u2019s challenges, especially taking the lead in the response to Covid-19.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very strategic to engage young people, because they are the present and the future of our continent. You need to have an attitude that is pro-people, the attitude to change the status quo. We always say Agenda 2063, but we cannot achieve it until we tackle the public health issues,\u201d Rose Mary Mbabazi, the Minister of Youth and Culture, said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor instance, during the Covid pandemic we have seen young people in Rwanda, the youth volunteers come out very strongly not waiting for health practitioners. They contributed substantially to the reduction of this pandemic spread within our community.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is the kind of spirit you\u2019d want to see in young people, not being spectators and observers, you are very important people in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mbabazi encouraged the youth to use the technology and skills at their disposal to inspire change in Africa.<\/p>\n

For Dr Nafiisah Chuton of the Africa CDC, African leaders should engage the youth in policymaking in order for better responses to public health issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor a long time, we\u2019ve neglected engaging young people in determining how we implement interventions,\u201d Chuton said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Africa, the majority of our population is young and the public health interventions that we are putting in place also need to be specific towards them as well. We need to engage young people and see how best we can co-create the interventions, and this will make a significant difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

The youth pre-conference will be closed on Monday, December 12. The 2nd Annual International Conference on Public Health in Africa will be held from December 13-15.<\/p>\n\r\n