The Catholic Church is very visible in healthcare services in Africa. She, of all religious groups and private agencies working in the healthcare industry in Africa, has the largest number of private hospitals and clinics providing Medicare and, in some cases, free medical treatment for HIV/AIDS, pregnant women, and people suffering from malaria. This happens even in those African countries where the Catholic Church is not a majority. In Ghana for instance, Catholics make up about 30 percent of the population but control more hospitals than any other private agency in the country. In Africa, the Church works in 16,178 health centers, including 1,074 hospitals, 5,373 out-patient clinics, 186 leper colonies, 753 homes for the elderly and physically and mentally less able brothers and sisters, 979 orphanages, 1,997 kindergartens, 1,590 marriage counseling centers, 2,947 social re-education centers and 1,279 other various centers. There are 12,496 nursery schools with 1,266,444 registered children; 33,263 primary schools with 14,061,000 pupils, and 9,838 high schools with 3,738,238 students. Some 54,362 students are enrolled in higher institutes, of which 11,011 are pursuing ecclesiastical studies. There are in Africa, fifty-three national chapters of Caritas, thirty-four national commissions of justice and peace and twelve institutes and centers promoting the Social Doctrine of the Church.
About Me
- Robin Parry
- Robin Parry is the husband of but one wife (Carol) and the father of the two most beautiful girls in the universe (Hannah and Jessica). He also has a lovely cat called Monty (who has only three legs). Living in the city of Worcester, UK, he works as an Editor for Wipf and Stock — a US-based theological publisher. Robin was a Sixth Form College teacher for 11 years and has worked in publishing since 2001 (2001–2010 for Paternoster and 2010– for W&S).
Friday, 8 July 2011
The Catholic Church and Healthcare in Africa
Here is an interesting set of data from Stan Chu Ilo's forthcoming book on Aid and Development in Africa (Pickwick).
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6 comments:
any mention of policy on contraceptives and AIDS???
Anonymous,
yes, there is. But the reason I posted this comment is that all I ever hear about re: Catholicism and Africa is AIDS and contraceptives. It's good to have a wider picture.
good point !!
Thanks.
thanks for this info.
It's a pity the mainstream media cannot focus more widely too.
No one is stopping other organizations from distributing condoms, they are not illegal. If a Hindu opened a vegetarian restaurant and someone complained they didn't serve beef, the obvious response would be "no-one is stopping you opening a beef restaurant down the road"
L
When you say "health care" do you mean like the kind provided by mother Theressa's ilk? That is not medical treatment it's a suffering pit.
The problem with contraceptive issue is the church has a stake in many of these people's very existence and when you are told your god commands condoms will send you to hell and cause suffering for your whole country. That is not just some "vegetarian restaurant" as stated by the other commenter. There are serious social, moral, and culpability issues concerned here.
Anonymous
I mean "health care" (hospitals and the like). Mother Theressa did not provide health care but comfort for the dying. From your tone it sounds like you disapprove of the care she offered because it was not a place of physical healing.
There are issues re: contraception and I have no interest in defending the Catholic line here. But my point is, and remains, that all one ever hears about in the mainstream press is about Catholics and condoms in Africa. That is an issue but we are seeing myopically if that is all we can see! Sure, let's talk about it but let's not forget that the Catholic church has brought a HUGE amount of good to Africa yet one never hears about it.
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