Posted on allafrica.com
Dakar — Senegalese President, Abdoulaye Wade, has said that proper attention to health-related issues in developing countries is the only major factor that can aid development of the African continent.
Wade, who stated this at the opening ceremony of the just concluded fifth edition of West African Women Association (WAWA) annual conference and awards held recently in Dakar, the Senegalese capital, maintained that a sick nation can never develop.
The Senegalese leader remarks came on a day former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, affirmed that the African continent can conquer poverty by investing in women.
Tinubu, who stated this in his acceptance speech titled 'Women: Key to Africa's Development' at the WAWA annual conference and awards in Dakar where he was honoured, saluted African women whom he described as the silent developers of the African continent.
According to Wade, health is an important issue in development matters while education only aids creativity. "The relationship between health and development should not be debated but should be integrated for overall continental growth," he said, adding "The quality of health shouldn't be undervalued."
He however lamented that health is not seen as issue that could paralyse progress in the continent, noting that "Without health, we cannot have full development." According to the Senegalese leader, malaria which kills millions of people worldwide is responsible for maternal mortality and morbidity, which, he noted, "makes Africa to be seen as a region where death subsists."
Wade also noted that despite the Abuja declaration on malaria, nothing much has been done about its elimination, stressing : "Malaria has paralysed many for years; Senegal has initiated a programme aimed at bringing doctors together to work out measures to make people understand malaria and its consequences."
On HIV/AIDS, the Senegalese president said it is not a disease from the other side like some believe, noting that the race against it seems to have been lost. According to Wade, who said "preventive measures are being put in place in the absence of total cure, there is need for more behavioral change towards reducing the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS in Africa and the world as a whole.
He therefore commended WAWA for its effort and implored the members to extend their humanitarian gesture to other African countries, rather than limiting it to the comfort of air-conditioned rooms.
Wade also commended former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who was honoured by the association at the event, describing him as a true leader. "Tinubu is a leader to be emulated by many more leaders who recognise that we cannot go forward as a nation without women in the world," Wade said , as he added: " Health is wealth and that should be the priority of all leaders of the world."
