Health Crisis: It’s More Expensive To Die In Africa Than To Live – Kukah
Bishop Matthew Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto has issued a blunt call for African-led solutions to the continent’s deepening health crisis, insisting that reliance on foreign aid is no longer sustainable.
Speaking at the African Faith and Health Leaders Consultation in Nairobi, hosted by Christian Connections for International Health, CCIH, the All Africa Conference of Churches, AACC, and the Africa Christian Health Associations Platform, ACHAP, Kukah challenged faith leaders, civil society and governments to take urgent action.
He said: “We must hold the feet of our politicians to the fire. Africa cannot continue to blame the victim or hide under a theology of helplessness. God cannot be the default solution because our health systems have failed our people.”
The gathering, which brought together bishops, archbishops and pastors from 10 sub-Saharan nations, focused on equitable health financing, sustainable models of care for underserved communities and strategies to strengthen local advocacy.
Kukah lamented the failure of African governments to honour the Abuja Declaration, in which countries pledged 15 percent of national budgets to health.
He said: “Our churches have a powerful moral voice, but we lack the tools for data and analysis; commitments on paper mean nothing if politicians are not held accountable.”
He recounted the human toll of weak health systems, sharing stories of Nigerians struggling to pay hospital bills.
He said, “People are grabbed by poverty and desperation. My phone never stops ringing, someone’s father, someone’s child, begging for help. This is not how a society should function.”
Kukah also called for stronger local resource mobilisation, urging Africans to rethink spending priorities.
He stressed, “It is more expensive to die in Africa than to live. There are people with enormous wealth; are we engaging them? Are they investing in the health of our people? We cannot wait until the taps run dry in Europe and America.”
Beyond healthcare, he reflected on Africa’s political challenges and the role of the church in shaping governance. “There is no alternative to democracy. If we are not at the table, then we are on the menu. We need more good people from civil society to step forward, engage politically, and shape the future,” he said.
The consultation continues with sessions on local health manufacturing, equitable financing, government collaboration and community-level interventions.