Editorial: African Perspectives and Approaches for African Healthcare Challenges

Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa is heavily endowed with natural and human resources. Yet, these same resources appear to be the bane of its poor development. “Until the rotten tooth is pulled out, the mouth must chew with caution”, says a Nigerian proverb. Despite being surrounded by wealth, several existing challenges deter African populations from taking full advantage as others have in other regions of the globe. Crucial among these challenges is the health of the population and nature of healthcare accessible to them. African populations cannot enjoy the benefits of their great resource endowment until their health and wellbeing receive considerable attention. By ‘Africa’, we refer to countries south of the Sahara that largely represent the World Health Organisation’s Africa Region (World Health Organisation 2017). The Sub-Saharan Africa region consists of several independent states, with varying geographical landscapes and diverse social and cultural outlooks. Yet, there are underlying commonalities that cut across the region.