WHO Africa sees 10-year growth in healthy life expectancy

By CHINEDU ASADU
Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Africa’s regional health body announced on Thursday that the continent recorded a ten-year increase in its healthy life expectancy from 2000 to 2019, citing a new report that also shows it is the highest growth for any region across the world over the same period. Dr. Lindiwe Makubalo, assistant regional Director for WHO Africa, says the increase also exceeds the global average and is attributable to better essential health services, improvement in health service coverage, in productive and maternal health and in health services to tackle infectious diseases. Makubalo says “a lot” still needs to be done especially with regards to boosting public health financing, with Africa’s record still below the global average of 64 years.