Feature: What Is Wrong With Us: We can find money to bury the dead, but not to keep the living well
African families can mobilise remarkable resources for a funeral. The uncomfortable question is why so few of us mobilise the same devotion for the fruit bowl, the health screening, or the walk that might have postponed it. The Funeral Is Not the Problem, Our Priorities Might Be There are few occasions in African communal life […] The post Feature: What Is Wrong With Us: We can find money to bury…
African communities exhibit an extraordinary ability to come together and raise funds for funerals, yet struggle to allocate similar resources to maintain the health and well-being of their living members. This phenomenon raises an uncomfortable question about the priorities of African societies. While funerals provide a powerful emotional experience for families, they are not the solution to the broader health crisis facing the continent.
Non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory illness, have become the leading cause of death in Africa. In Ghana, for example, non-communicable diseases now account for nearly half of all deaths. These are not just statistical figures, but rather real people – fathers, mothers, teachers, traders, and executives – who are dying prematurely.
Globally, non-communicable diseases account for nearly three-quarters of all deaths, with low- and middle-income countries bearing a disproportionate share of the burden.
A key factor in this health crisis is diet. The World Health Organization recommends that adults and children consume at least four hundred grams of fruits and vegetables daily, but inadequate consumption of these essential nutrients is linked to approximately three and a half million deaths worldwide each year. In Africa, healthy food can often be unaffordable or inaccessible, and the World Health Organization estimates that around three billion people globally cannot access safe, nutritious, and sufficient food.
The situation is further complicated by poverty, which often makes it difficult for low-income households to afford healthy food. The economics surrounding food are complex, with rapid urbanization and aggressive marketing of highly processed foods contributing to unhealthy diets. In many cases, inexpensive, calorie-dense foods are cheaper than healthy options, leading families to make rational economic decisions within a system that prioritizes affordability over health.
To address this multifaceted problem, African governments must take a comprehensive approach that combines individual responsibility with institutional responsibility. This means not only lecturing households about healthy eating but also designing an economy that makes healthy food more accessible and affordable. Building healthier food systems, improving agricultural practices, and promoting school feeding programs are all essential components of a long-term public health strategy.
As African communities continue to mourn the loss of loved ones through funeral preparations, they must also recognize the importance of investing in prevention and ensuring that no one dies prematurely when it could have been avoided.
Written by urgent.news from The Chronicle Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
