In recent years, many sectors within African countries have seen significant improvement and growth, including major increases in commerce and e-commerce with particular countries such as Nigeria proving themselves a force to be reckoned with.
Although these important changes are helping to re-shape countries previously thought to be third world, there are still improvements to be made and none more so than Africa’s healthcare sectors.
African countries are still plagued by diseases such as meningitis, syphilis, tetanus and HIV which, without adequate healthcare for many, prove to be fatal. Despite massive improvements, studies show that only 1 in 20 people in sub-saharan countries can expect to live beyond the age of 55 an alarming statistic when compared to the rest of the world.
The Birth Of Improved Healthcare
Across Africa, there are a number of projects underway designed to improve investment in Africa’s healthcare. Nigeria has recently passed a law committing to a minimum spend in this area and, a number of African governments are offering tax exemptions and special prices on land to pharmaceutical manufacturers to help boost the supply of essential medicines into their countries. As improvements increase, the results are more than encouraging – for example, a 2016 survey showed that, in the previous five years, 94% of new mothers in Africa had received ante-natal care, a figure barely imagined only fifty years previously.
As more and more African people enjoy increased spending power, opportunities are presenting themselves to outside investors. Across the continent, clinics and chemists, such as the Yaya Chemist in Nairobi, are being set up to provide often simple but essential medical treatment and, it is estimated that the current market for healthcare in sub-saharan countries stands at around 35 billion dollars; a staggering figure which has almost doubled in the past 20 years.
The Language Of Progress
With increased investment comes a need for increased communication. When supplying or providing healthcare services to African countries, it is vital that adequate communication is also in place in order to educate and train staff in its uses. It is also equally important that professional healthcare translators are employed in this endeavor. Needless to say, medications and treatments are only effective when dispensed correctly and, using the services of a reputable and professional translation company is an extremely important part of this process. Healthcare companies need to use a translator who is not just proficient in both languages but also has competent knowledge of the healthcare sector to ensure that the translation provided is accurate and appropriate.
With further investments planned by companies such as the Abraaj Corporation, the future of African healthcare is looking brighter and there is optimism that, in the not too distant future, treatment for many common diseases currently considered fatal will be widely available across the continent.
