While there are still numerous challenges in Africa's health systems, the positive aspects of what specific countries and organizations must be celebrated. It was specifically encouraging to read about the reduction in polio, trachoma and leprosy cases worldwide as well as the stories of how successful treatment changes lives exponentially.
For many of these families, healing of physical ailments does more than just free the body from pain and suffering. Gaining sight and mobility frees a lot of time and resources that were being swallowed up by the disease. The healed person can now focus on education, farming or business instead of begging, sleeping at the homestead or in the streets. The healing leads to improved productivity lives of individuals who want to work. The results of the blind seeing and the lame walking profit the family, village/community and have the potential to positively transform a country, and dare I say "heal" the whole continent.
In closing, Kristof reminds us to not only celebrate the current progress but also see Africa's positive potential and stop focusing on Africa as a charity case.
"As the disease burden declines, the economy surges. Africa is now booming economically, and six of the 10 fastest-growing economies in the world are on the continent. Don’t think of Africa as a place to pity, but as a place to invest.
Journalists and humanitarians understandably focus on unmet needs, and that can leave the impression that the story of global health is a depressing one of failure. In fact, it’s an inspiring story of progress. We need to do more, especially against AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, but one of the great achievements of humanity in recent decades has been the marginalization of ancient and dreaded diseases."
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