Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus and Nobel Peace Laureate, greets wellwishers as he is wheeled out of the Brooklyn Chest Hospital, after being vaccinated against COVID 19, in Cape Town, on May 17, 2021. (Photo by Rodger Bosch/AFP via Getty Images)
Dec 28, 2021
The death of Desmond Tutu has been a tragic loss to human rights, justice and development in Africa. Many words will be said in his honor. However, the best way to honor his memory is for leaders of industrialized countries to provide increased public health and socio-economic support to the African people to whom Desmond Tutu devoted his life and work.
Aid to Africa should be aimed at strengthening civil society and community-based organizations.
Today the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths in Africa that could have been avoided. Having sufficient vaccines available to all will help curtail the coronavirus pandemic in Africa. And, by stalling the development of new mutations, in the rest of the world.
Health problems in Africa still require considerable technical and financial assistance.
Improving the infrastructure of health systems in most African countries will be critical to address long-term health crises in addition to the current pandemic.
Increasing access to primary health care, including vaccinations, should also be paired with strengthening civil society and community-based organizations and providing access to education for all. This will require a commitment from the international community, the collaboration of health workers worldwide, and the leadership of African churches and organizations.
Aid to Africa should be aimed at strengthening civil society and community-based organizations. African governments need help to provide education for all age levels, and they need better trade conditions for their products. They need financial assistance given in a carefully planned and responsible way.
Writer Paul Theroux, who has traveled extensively in several African countries wrote, "I would not send private money to a charity, or foreign aid to a government, unless every dollar was accounted for. Dumping more money in the same old way is not only wasteful, but stupid and harmful." To be effective aid must bypass corrupt governments and find ways of helping people in more direct ways. It is a measure of the humanity of industrialized nations to provide public health resources and support at this critical moment.
Desmond Tutu has said, "Africans believe in something that is difficult to render in English. We call it ubuntu, botho. It means the essence of being human. You know when it is there and when it is absent. It speaks about humaneness, gentleness, hospitality, putting yourself out on behalf of others, being vulnerable. It embraces compassion and toughness. It recognizes that my humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together."
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Cesar Chelala
Dr. Cesar Chelala is an international public health consultant, co-winner of an Overseas Press Club of America award and two national journalism awards from Argentina.
The death of Desmond Tutu has been a tragic loss to human rights, justice and development in Africa. Many words will be said in his honor. However, the best way to honor his memory is for leaders of industrialized countries to provide increased public health and socio-economic support to the African people to whom Desmond Tutu devoted his life and work.
Aid to Africa should be aimed at strengthening civil society and community-based organizations.
Today the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths in Africa that could have been avoided. Having sufficient vaccines available to all will help curtail the coronavirus pandemic in Africa. And, by stalling the development of new mutations, in the rest of the world.
Health problems in Africa still require considerable technical and financial assistance.
Improving the infrastructure of health systems in most African countries will be critical to address long-term health crises in addition to the current pandemic.
Increasing access to primary health care, including vaccinations, should also be paired with strengthening civil society and community-based organizations and providing access to education for all. This will require a commitment from the international community, the collaboration of health workers worldwide, and the leadership of African churches and organizations.
Aid to Africa should be aimed at strengthening civil society and community-based organizations. African governments need help to provide education for all age levels, and they need better trade conditions for their products. They need financial assistance given in a carefully planned and responsible way.
Writer Paul Theroux, who has traveled extensively in several African countries wrote, "I would not send private money to a charity, or foreign aid to a government, unless every dollar was accounted for. Dumping more money in the same old way is not only wasteful, but stupid and harmful." To be effective aid must bypass corrupt governments and find ways of helping people in more direct ways. It is a measure of the humanity of industrialized nations to provide public health resources and support at this critical moment.
Desmond Tutu has said, "Africans believe in something that is difficult to render in English. We call it ubuntu, botho. It means the essence of being human. You know when it is there and when it is absent. It speaks about humaneness, gentleness, hospitality, putting yourself out on behalf of others, being vulnerable. It embraces compassion and toughness. It recognizes that my humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together."
Cesar Chelala
Dr. Cesar Chelala is an international public health consultant, co-winner of an Overseas Press Club of America award and two national journalism awards from Argentina.
The death of Desmond Tutu has been a tragic loss to human rights, justice and development in Africa. Many words will be said in his honor. However, the best way to honor his memory is for leaders of industrialized countries to provide increased public health and socio-economic support to the African people to whom Desmond Tutu devoted his life and work.
Aid to Africa should be aimed at strengthening civil society and community-based organizations.
Today the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths in Africa that could have been avoided. Having sufficient vaccines available to all will help curtail the coronavirus pandemic in Africa. And, by stalling the development of new mutations, in the rest of the world.
Health problems in Africa still require considerable technical and financial assistance.
Improving the infrastructure of health systems in most African countries will be critical to address long-term health crises in addition to the current pandemic.
Increasing access to primary health care, including vaccinations, should also be paired with strengthening civil society and community-based organizations and providing access to education for all. This will require a commitment from the international community, the collaboration of health workers worldwide, and the leadership of African churches and organizations.
Aid to Africa should be aimed at strengthening civil society and community-based organizations. African governments need help to provide education for all age levels, and they need better trade conditions for their products. They need financial assistance given in a carefully planned and responsible way.
Writer Paul Theroux, who has traveled extensively in several African countries wrote, "I would not send private money to a charity, or foreign aid to a government, unless every dollar was accounted for. Dumping more money in the same old way is not only wasteful, but stupid and harmful." To be effective aid must bypass corrupt governments and find ways of helping people in more direct ways. It is a measure of the humanity of industrialized nations to provide public health resources and support at this critical moment.
Desmond Tutu has said, "Africans believe in something that is difficult to render in English. We call it ubuntu, botho. It means the essence of being human. You know when it is there and when it is absent. It speaks about humaneness, gentleness, hospitality, putting yourself out on behalf of others, being vulnerable. It embraces compassion and toughness. It recognizes that my humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.