[Health and structural adjustment].

Abstract

During the 1980's structural adjustment policies were introduced to Africa causing a severe state of poverty, especially in the most vulnerable group--women. This economic crisis has profoundly affected the health sector in: 1)budget reductions in health care; 2) the exodus of trained personnel; 3) the return of chronic and epidemic diseases; 4) cutbacks in prenatal care and 5) a growing number of malnourished mothers. WHO's strategy of Health for All by The year 2000 that evolved from the 1978 Alma Ata Conference has barely worked in Africa because no one knew how to make the strategy work. It became clear in 1985 at the Conference in Lusaka, where all the Ministers of Health met and determined a region-specific strategy. However, Governments inability to implement such strategies are not due to the lack of political will, but to the economic crisis. WHO's strategies for Africa during the 1980's were the Bamako Initiative and projects for women in development highlighting the role of women in management ranging from the village to the national level. Because Africa's population growth rate of 3% is much higher than the region's economic growth rate, all governments have accepted family planning as part of maternal and child health.

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