The Global Campaign Against Racism

Welcome to the Cancel The Debt podcast, the podcast that takes a deep dive into a topic that often goes unspoken: the profound impact of debt on Africa hosted by Nyasha Grace. In this season we will unravel the complexities surrounding debt in Africa and explore its multifaceted impacts on economies, societies, and individuals. We'll challenge prevailing narratives, confront misconceptions, and give voice to the experiences of those directly affected

welcome back to the Cancel the Debt 10 part podcast series. In this episode we have Dennis Nyati from the Zambia chapter discussing the challenges health care workers face in Zambia and how this contributes to high brain drain in the country, His interview is with Farisai Mutale who is a community health worker based in Lusaka. Healthcare workers in Zambia face various challenges that contribute to high brain drain in the country. Some of the challenges include: Poor working conditions: Health workers in Zambia often work in substandard conditions that lack basic equipment, supplies, and infrastructure. This includes lack of adequate medical supplies, inadequate staffing, and poor working conditions. Low salaries: Many healthcare workers in Zambia earn very low salaries, making it difficult for them to meet their basic needs. This often forces them to seek employment elsewhere in search of better wages. Lack of professional development opportunities: Many healthcare workers in Zambia have limited opportunities for professional development, training, and career advancement. This can lead to feelings of job dissatisfaction and a lack of motivation to remain in the profession. Limited access to healthcare services: Healthcare workers in Zambia may also face challenges in accessing healthcare services themselves, particularly in remote or underserved areas. This can lead to a lack of trust in the healthcare system and a desire to seek better opportunities elsewhere.

In this episode we have Edward Kironde of our Uganda chapter speaking to Dr Kenneth Mwesiga they will be discussing ordeals about shortage in medical supplies in hospital. One of the major challenges facing the healthcare system in Uganda is a lack of funding. The government spends only a small percentage of its budget on healthcare, which makes it difficult to provide the necessary resources to healthcare facilities. As a result, many healthcare facilities lack basic supplies and equipment, and the quality of care provided to patients is often inadequate. Another challenge facing the healthcare system in Uganda is a shortage of healthcare workers. There are only a limited number of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals in the country, and many of them work in urban areas, leaving rural areas underserved. This shortage of healthcare workers is further compounded by the brain drain of professionals leaving the country for better opportunities abroad.

Hello and welcome back to our Cancel The Debt 10 part podcast series. In this episode we have Robert Kyomuhendo of our Uganda chapter speaking to Francis Odong who is looking after his mother who is admitted at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital and they will be discussing challenges with accessing medicine, vaccines and other health care services during his mother’s admission at the hospital. One of the major challenges facing the healthcare system in Uganda is a lack of funding. The government spends only a small percentage of its budget on healthcare, which makes it difficult to provide the necessary resources to healthcare facilities. As a result, many healthcare facilities lack basic supplies and equipment, and the quality of care provided to patients is often inadequate. Another challenge facing the healthcare system in Uganda is a shortage of healthcare workers. There are only a limited number of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals in the country, and many of them work in urban areas, leaving rural areas underserved. This shortage of healthcare workers is further compounded by the brain drain of professionals leaving the country for better opportunities abroad. The burden of disease is also a major challenge facing the healthcare system in Uganda. The country has a high prevalence of infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis, which require significant resources to combat. Additionally, non-communicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes are becoming more prevalent, further straining the healthcare system.

Tradiksyon narasyon angle INTRO Bonjou epi akeyi tounen nan seri podcast nou an Anile Dèt 10 pati. Nan epizòd sa a, nou genyen Michelle Luma nan chapit ayisyen nou an k ap pale ak doktè Eliazar Jean sou defouyman sèvo mendèv sante an Ayiti ki te koze pa move kondisyon travay ki te vin pi grav ak fado dèt la. Ayiti ap fè fas ak yon gwo pèlen nan mendèv sante li yo. Fenomèn sa a ap kontinye pandan plizyè ane e sitou akòz enstabilite politik ak pwoblèm sosyo-ekonomik nan peyi a ki ka lye ak fado dèt la. Anpil pwofesyonèl swen sante ki resevwa fòmasyon, tankou doktè, enfimyè, ak lòt travayè swen sante, kite Ayiti pou chèche pi bon opòtinite travay ak kondisyon travay aletranje, patikilyèman nan Etazini, Kanada, ak Ewòp. Mank resous adekwat ak finansman pou swen sante ann Ayiti te kontribiye tou nan koule sèvo nan mendèv sante li yo. Konsekans dwog sèvo sa a te enpòtan pou sistèm swen sante peyi a, ki deja fè fas a anpil defi, tankou aksè limite nan sèvis swen sante, enfrastrikti ensifizan, ak fòmasyon ak edikasyon ensifizan pou pwofesyonèl swen sante ki rete nan peyi a. Ann pase kounye a nan entèvyou ak Michelle ak Eliazar Jean. OUTRO San yo pa gen ase pwofesyonèl swen sante ki fòme, bon jan kalite sèvis swen sante yo ann Ayiti konpwomèt anpil, epi kapasite peyi a pou reponn a ijans sante piblik tankou epidemi maladi enfektye oswa dezas natirèl limite. Sa gen yon gwo enpak sou sante jeneral ak byennèt popilasyon ayisyen an. Ayiti ap lite ak yon wo nivo dèt ekstèn depi plizyè dizèn ane. Dèt sa a te yon gwo obstak nan devlopman ekonomik peyi a e li te anpeche kapasite li pou envesti nan domèn kritik tankou swen sante. Kòm rezilta, sistèm swen sante Ayiti a pa gen anpil lajan epi li pa ekipe pou satisfè bezwen popilasyon li a. Isit la nan Anile sougwoup Dèt la nou ap mande pou anile dèt kounye a! Pou rantre nan kanpay la vizite sit entènèt nou an nan www.equalhealth.org epi enskri anba Campaign Against Racism. Jiska pwochèn fwa li bon pou kounye a

In this episode we have Emmanuel Mulenga of the Cancel The Debt subgroup Zambia Chapter interviewing Reverend Nathan Banda discussing how Zambians resorted to self medication during the covid-19 pandemic. Over the 2 year window of covid-19 pandemic more than 333 thousand cases were confirmed in Zambia with over 4 thousand deaths reported.  With limited access to healthcare facilities, many Zambians were forced to self-medicate to deal with the symptoms of COVID-19. Some of the commonly used self-medication options included herbal remedies, traditional medicine, and over-the-counter drugs. This was partly due to the high cost of hospital treatment, lack of access to proper medical facilities, and a distrust of Western medicine. Many African countries were faced with challenges accessing and securing enough doses of COVID-19 vaccines. The COVAX facility, which aims to provide vaccines to low- and middle-income countries, was instrumental in helping African countries access vaccines, but supply chain issues and high demand caused delays in vaccine delivery. There was also vaccine hesitancy in some African countries due to mistrust of Western medicine and misinformation about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines.

In this episode we have Shiellah Baryayaka from the Uganda chapter speaking to Sister Juliet Ankunda the Principal Nursing Officer at Mbarara Regional Hospital discussing the shortage of Medical supplies at Mbarara Regional Refferal Hospital and how debt has contributed to that.   One of the major challenges facing the healthcare system in Uganda is a lack of funding. The government spends only a small percentage of its budget on healthcare, which makes it difficult to provide the necessary resources to healthcare facilities. As a result, many healthcare facilities lack basic supplies and equipment, and the quality of care provided to patients is often inadequate. Debt has had a significant impact on the healthcare system in Uganda. The government of Uganda has borrowed large sums of money from various international financial institutions, such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, to fund its development projects and other programs, including healthcare. However, these loans have also resulted in a significant increase in Uganda's external debt burden, which has had a negative impact on the healthcare system in several ways.

Tradiksyon narasyon angle INTRO Bonjou epi akeyi tounen nan seri podcast nou an Anile Dèt la 10 pati. Nan epizòd sa a Hergie Chevalier nan chapit ayisyen an entèwoje relasyon ki genyen ant dèt entènasyonal, finansman sante ak mank de founiti medikal an Ayiti nan entèvyou sa a ak Polnareph Belfort, yon travayè lasante an Ayiti. Gen yon relasyon konplèks ant dèt entènasyonal, finansman sante, ak mank de founiti medikal an Ayiti. Ayiti ap lite ak yon wo nivo dèt ekstèn depi plizyè dizèn ane. Dèt sa a te yon gwo obstak nan devlopman ekonomik peyi a e li te anpeche kapasite l envesti nan domèn kritik tankou swen sante. Kòm rezilta, sistèm swen sante Ayiti a pa gen anpil finansman e li pa ekipe pou l satisfè bezwen popilasyon l. Mank finansman pou swen sante ann Ayiti te lakòz yon mank de founiti medikal, tankou atik debaz tankou gan, sereng, ak medikaman. Mank sa a te vin pi grav pa dezas natirèl, enstabilite politik, ak pandemi COVID-19 la. Mank ekipman medikal yo te gen yon enpak devastatè sou sante ayisyen yo, sitou moun k ap viv nan povrete. Dèt entènasyonal tou se yon gwo faktè nan limite kapasite Ayiti pou reponn ak kriz sante. Lè Ayiti te frape pa yon tranblemanntè devastatè an 2010, peyi a te deja lou anpil dèt. Dèt sa a te rann Ayiti difisil pou l finanse pwòp efò rekiperasyon li e li te fòse peyi a konte sou èd entènasyonal. Èd yo te bay la te souvan mare ak kondisyon ki te ogmante fado dèt Ayiti an plis. Ann travèse nan entèvyou jodi a ak Hergie Chevalier. OUTRO Apati 2021, yo te estime dèt ekstèn Ayiti a anviwon $2.9 milya USD. Sa a se yon kantite lajan enpòtan pou yon peyi ki gen yon GDP apeprè $ 8.4 milya dola USD. Fado dèt Ayiti a se yon gwo obstak nan devlopman ekonomik peyi a e li limite kapasite l pou l envesti nan domèn enpòtan tankou swen sante, edikasyon, ak enfrastrikti. An konklizyon, relasyon ki genyen ant dèt entènasyonal, finansman sante, ak mank de founiti medikal an Ayiti se konplèks ak plizyè aspè. Pandan ke soulajman dèt ak ogmante finansman pou swen sante ta sètènman ede rezoud pwoblèm sa yo, yo pa ase pou kont yo. Chanjman estriktirèl, tankou amelyore gouvènans ak abòde koripsyon, nesesè tou pou kreye yon sistèm swen sante dirab ki ka satisfè bezwen pèp ayisyen an. Isit la nan Anile sougwoup Dèt la nou ap mande pou anile dèt kounye a! Pou rantre nan kanpay nou an, ale sou sit entènèt nou an nan www.equalhealth.org epi enskri anba Campaign Against Racism, Se tout sa nou te genyen pou epizòd jodi a jiska pwochen fwa li se orevwa pou kounye a.

In this episode we have Juliet Mphande from Cancel The Debt  Zambia Chapter interviewing Mr Mwelwa a community member of Makululu discussing the impact of unemployment on access to health services in Makululu. Makululu is located in central province of Zambia, particularly Kabwe district which used to be one of the big mining district in Zambia but after the 1991 privatisation by the Chiluba regime the town has been reduced into a ghost town. Makululu is a rural slum and one of the largest slums in Zambia with a growing population of 60,000 people. Most of its residents are living in extreme poverty and do not have a reliable source of income. 60% of the Makululu population are unemployed.

Hello and welcome to our inaugural podcast of the Campaign against Racism’s Cancel The Debt Subgroup 10 part podcast series, In this series we will be featuring stories that take us closer to the reality of the neo-colonialism of debt and lived experiences of communities across the global south. This will highlight the different levels of how the debt operates, its effects on healthcare systems and the health of the vulnerable woman and youths,