We can and must build the Africa we want

During my travels across Africa as a United Nations ambassador, I have been deeply affected by fellow mothers. I have listened to strong and inspiring women tell stories of elation when a child survived a treatable disease like tuberculosis or malaria.

I have also heard devastating stories of loss when a precious child succumbed to a preventable disease like pneumonia.

These women have inspired my continued commitment to one vision for the future of our continent: An Africa where all can access health care; an Africa where all can lead healthy lives and fulfill their potential.
So I was thankful that last month's African Union (AU) Summit in South Africa focused on women and development, and ended with a strong reaffirmation of leaders' commitment to health.

But these words have been said before, and they must be paired with action.

Yes, Africa has made great progress on health since creation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000. In Kenya, significant strides have been made to combat HIV and AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. More work must be done to address child and maternal mortality, but there have been signs of good momentum – for instance, the First Lady has recently been named a champion of child nutrition.

But this progress has not been distributed equitably, and many of our continent's most poor and vulnerable people still lack access to essential health services. Accord to UNICEF, the gap between child mortality rates among the poorest and wealthiest households has narrowed in all regions except sub-Saharan Africa.

A recent report from RESULTS UK, the Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium, and the World AIDS Campaign International argues that an increase in domestic resources for health as well as additional donor funding are needed to ensure progress on health is felt by everyone.

So donors and governments now have a choice. Will we stay on the current path where only some benefit from progress, or will we strongly support community health systems for all?

Momentum from the AU Summit must now carry into the next crossroads on the path to health justice: The 3rd United Nations Financing for Development Conference on July 13-16 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. There, the global community will plan how to fund the next phase of the global development agenda started by the MDGs.

One thing is clear — to finance the future of our continent, we want not just commitments but also sustainable and costed plans with timelines and deliverables to make these commitments a reality for all Africans.

Firstly, international donors must renew and strengthen their commitment to support health programming and financing. Continued donor investment – through both government-to-government partnerships and life-saving global mechanisms like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and Gavi, the Vaccines Alliance – remain critical.

Donors: Your investments up until now have clearly paid off – please don't abandon this unique opportunity we have to finish the job. We must continue preventing and treating deadly diseases like TB, malaria, and pneumonia, while also investing in strong and equitable health systems.

But while donor assistance has helped increased access to health services for many, it cannot deliver sustainable development on its own – African governments must play a leadership role on health.

At the 2014 United Nations General Assembly, President Uhuru Kenyatta said: "We know our social and economic transformation will come first from within our nations, our region and our continent, and only secondly from ...external ideas and resources."

To Africa's leaders: With democratic election comes great responsibility to improve the lives of your people. In line with the promise of the 2001 Abuja Declaration, you must adequately fund your health system, by both stepping up domestic investments and also increasing per capita expenditure on health.
A small number of countries like the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Swaziland should be congratulated for meeting this agreed-upon target; but the vast majority of African countries have not.

The strong and inspiring women I have met on my travels deserve creative leaders committed to finding solutions. In addition to raising the priority of health within national budgets, leaders can promote other tactics such as innovative financing, and the strengthening of national social health insurance programs to ensure everyone can access health care.

All African people deserve the chance to live a healthy life, and see their children, families, and communities not only survive, but thrive. The donors, governments, and experts who gather in Addis next week must not forget them.

It's time to build the Africa we want — a just Africa with health for all.

The South Africa music star and a UN goodwill ambassador gave the speech at the international health financing conference in Addis Ababa