MDG 5, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND MATERNAL HEALTH IN AFRICA
actors, they are incapable of doing the heavy lifting alone. While
undeniably responsible for setting the general tone, other stakeholders,
particularly civil society organizations (CSOs), should assume an active
role in the process, translating official objectives to tangible benefits for the
people – sort of transforming themselves into foot soldiers, for the benefit
of the population. The political leadership in Africa was right, not only in
proclaiming that it is impossible for governments alone to shoulder the
responsibility of assuring the health of the populations in their respective
territories, but in also recognizing the need for partnership with other actors,
including CSOs, to create an environment that is conducive to good
health.154 The African Health Strategy defines CSOs as inclusive of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), faith based organizations (FBOs), and
community based organizations (CBOs), as well as traditional leaders,
traditional healers, and media organizations.155 In urging the integration of
these bodies into national programs, the African Health Strategy recognizes
that their roles are indispensable to actualizing the policy goals of the
government.156 Any and all of these organizations have unique resources
that can be harnessed and channeled toward the necessary changes needed
to improve availability of reproductive services and promote overall health
of women in the region.
One of the major obstacles to health sector development in Africa is
government inability to elicit support of the general public for its programs
such as uptake of coverage in social health insurance countries. It has been
noted that “in order to secure an adequate level of support, the program in
question would need to be packaged in such a way as to be ‘sellable’ to at
least a substantial majority of those whose acceptance of the program is
necessary for its success.”157 This is not a simple task. Most programs in
the region suffer from what has been labeled as a “packaging” defect.158
The people are unconvinced as to their genuineness, usefulness or
sustainability – skepticism based on the antecedents of most governments in
the region, in terms of not delivering what they promised. Incompetence or
misappropriation of funds as a reason underscoring the perennial failure to
successfully implement announced programs is gradually becoming
ingrained in the collective psyche. Seen this way, it becomes quite easy to
154. African Health Strategy: 2007 – 215, Third Session of the African Union
Conference of Ministers of Health, Johannesburg, South Africa, 9 – 13 April 2007,
CAMH/MIN/5(III), para. 44.
155. Id. para. 114.
156. Id.
157. Nnamuchi, The Nigerian Social Health Insurance System, supra note 139, at 159.
158. Id.