- India has strong credentials to meet Africa’s health systems’ requirements given that it has “come a long way in the healthcare sector in terms of infrastructure, technology and accessibility, and affordability,”
- WHO recommends at least 10 medical doctors per 10,000 people to ensure adequate coverage at the primary care level, Africa on average accounted for three medical doctors for every 10,000 people
- Africa’s health financing gap is at $66 billion per annum
- The African Union (AU) in 2001 had pledged to set a target of allocating at least 15 % of their annual budget to improve the healthcare sector, but they haven’t been able to fulfill this goal, still, there is a huge lag.
- According to the reports, India is the third-largest investor in Africa’s healthcare sector during the period 2010 to 2019. While the cumulative global investment in Africa’s healthcare sector during this period was $1.1 billion with India accounting for $210 million,”
- The top-class health infrastructure at an affordable rate in India is a factor for engaging with several African nations to help alleviate several infectious diseases by making generic medicines and vaccines available at low costs.
- A point came out in the third India-Africa Forum Summit in 2015, India had announced a contribution of $10 million towards the India-Africa Health Fund.
- India can offer the third kind of developing healthcare infrastructure in Africa; by building hospitals, those provided under India Exim Bank’s LOC (Lines of Credit), Buyer’s Credit under the National Export Insurance Account (NEIA), and Commercial Buyer’s Credit.
- David Sinate, general manager, research and analysis at the Exim Bank, said that “Indian hospital operators could also be engaged for providing the technical expertise.” A single point of responsibility will be given to which includes design, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of medical and paramedical equipment, and furniture.
- The Exim Bank report states that “Africa spent around $6 billion in 2016 on medical tourism out of which $1 billion was accounted for by Nigeria and $100 million by Kenya. On an average, more than 50,000 African patients visit India every year for treatment on a medical visa reflecting the demand for India’s affordable and quality healthcare.”
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