The business programme of the
RussiaAfrica Economic Forum in Sochi featured a session titled Drivers of
Growth in National Healthcare Systems, which was devoted to issues concerning
cooperation between Russia and African countries in the healthcare sector. The
event was attended by Russian Minister of Health Veronika Skvortsova, Minister
of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Eteni Longondo, Egyptian
Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait, Chairperson of the Council of County
Governors of the Republic of Kenya Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya, and President and
CEO of Kiara Health Pty Skhumbuzo Ngozwana, among others.
«Our cooperation with African
countries has a long history. Today, collaboration in the healthcare sector
with the African continent is one of the priorities of Russias international
policy. We are currently working on several areas of cooperation, including
education. Today, more than 3,000 students from Africa study at Russian
universities in medicine and pharmaceuticals, and this number could be
significantly expanded. Russian vaccines can solve the problem of infectious
diseases in African countries. Up to 60% of yellow fever vaccines supplied to
the continent are produced in Russia. Our Ebola vaccine has been used in the
Republic of Guinea and has proven to be highly protective. An anti-polio
vaccine has been developed in Russia that has no analogues in the world in
terms of its efficiency and safety. This drug could also be delivered to Africa
to completely eradicate the disease on the continent,» Skvortsova said.
The session moderator,
Chairman of Delovaya Rossiya (Business Russia) and Chairman of the Board of the
R-Pharm Group Alexey Repik, noted the massive opportunities for developing
cooperation in the healthcare sector between Russia and African countries.
«Africa is currently entering a period of rapid economic growth. Experts
estimate that by 2035 the healthcare market on the continent will increase by
several times over. By 2030, the medical sector of the economy will be worth USD
260 billion and will be on the list of the largest world markets.»
The meeting participants
outlined the key problems in healthcare facing African countries, namely a lack
of funding and infrastructure, the low level of early disease diagnosis, a lack
of medicine, and a shortage of qualified medical personnel. They also noted an
increase in non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular morbidity.
«The development level of African countries varies, but problems with
healthcare are universal. This includes a shortage of medical personnel,
insufficient infrastructure, and the high cost of medical services. Most of the
African population lives in rural areas, so the development of telemedicine
could be a solution. We are also interested in exchanging technologies and
training personnel at medical universities in Russia,» said Wycliffe Ambetsa
Oparanya, Chairperson of the Council of County Governors of the Republic of
Kenya.
Another session titled
Telemedicine. How Will Digital Technology Change the Face of Healthcare
Systems in African Countries? was held on the first day of the Forum at the
Innovation Space platform as part of the Roscongress Foundations Building
Trust Area.
A lack of quality medical care
for people in rural areas as well as inaccessible and remote areas is one of
the main social problems facing African countries. The development of
telemedicine and the use of stationary and mobile equipment, including
artificial intelligence technology, will greatly help to solve this problem.
Discussions on the most
pressing issues in the healthcare sector will be continued as part of the
business programme at the Healthy Life Forum, which will be held on 12 February
2020 in Sochi.
The Healthy Life Forum will
take place on 12 February 2020 as part of the Russian Investment Forum at the
Main Media Centre of Sochis Olympic Park. The Forum is the result of the
annual activities of the Roscongress Foundations Healthy Life project, which
was created in order to find and develop practical proposals to implement
national projects that aim to solve the problem of increasing the healthy life
expectancy of Russian citizens. The Forum is supported by the Russian Ministry
of Health.
The Healthy Life Forum was
first held on 13 February 2019 and was attended by some 3,000 people.