Former Nigerian presidential candidate and economist Kingsley Moghalu has called on African countries to prioritize healthcare funding from their own resources rather than relying on foreign aid.
Moghalu’s comments come after former US President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the World Health Organization, a move he described as a “wake-up call” for African nations to take responsibility for their healthcare systems.
“African countries must make funding for healthcare from their own resources a priority. Reliance on foreign aid for healthcare interventions is not wisdom,” Moghalu stated.
He criticized African governments for prioritizing political luxuries and corruption over healthcare funding. “What many African countries receive in aid is nothing compared to the resources that are wasted on the comfort of politicians or corruptly misappropriated,” he said.
Moghalu acknowledged that some African nations have demonstrated better fiscal responsibility and are exceptions to the trend. However, he urged governments across the continent to take decisive action to ensure that healthcare funding is treated as a critical national priority.
