2-3. Achieving MDGs [Economic and Social dimension of "human security"] – Health
Actions to be taken in the next 5 years under the TICAD Process（Yokohama Action Plan）
The TICAD process in respect of the commitments and actions made by African countries, will focus on the African efforts as follows:
- (1) Strengthening of health systems
- (2) Improvement of maternal, new-born and child health
- (3) Measures against infectious diseases
Principal measures taken under the TICAD process up to February 2009
Health
Out of the total target amount of grant aid and technical assistance (JPY 43 billion) over five years in the field of health, at least JPY 8.40 billion (19.54%) has been committed: thirty-five grant aid cooperation projects, and seven technical assistance projects were initiated.
Strengthening of health systems
As for the South-South cooperation, out of the total target number of 130 experts to strengthen health systems and health service monitors, 115 experts (about 88.4%) were dispatched.
Improvement of maternal, new-born and child health
Seven grant aid cooperation projects in seven countries were initiated, designed to improve child healthcare by providing vaccination against Polio for approximately 13.98 million children, as well as by providing 614,000 Long-Lasting Insecticide-Treated mosquito nets for malaria prevention.
Measures against infectious diseases
Against emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, a collaborative research centre was opened in Africa. As for South-South Cooperation, the technology transfer project between Thailand and Burundi on the production of anti-malarial drugs in Burundi, completed in September 2008, enabled Burundi officers at the National Institute of Public Health to produce Artesunate tablets and Amodiaquine tablets domestically.
Future challenges
▪ In coordination with the “Africa Health Strategy” adopted in the Meeting of AU Ministers of Health, African countries are encouraged to allocate 15% of their national budget to the health sector, in order to promote the strengthening of overall health and health delivery systems.
▪ In order to strengthen health systems, it is necessary to pay attention to promoting the training and the retention of health workers, who, especially, deliver health services directly, supporting comprehensive efforts to strengthen monitoring systems.
▪ Far more needs to be done, and in a more systematic and more coordinated manner, to combat the triple scourge, across Africa, of the HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria pandemics.
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