“Technology and technocratic interventions are not enough to ensure health and equity in the long term. What is needed is to end the unfair distribution of resources and power and the structural violence and injustice which underpin poverty and inequality in our world. We need to redouble our efforts to achieve this vision."
These were the concluding remarks by Prof Jimmy Volmink, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences in his address to the 9th Annual Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH), recently held in New York, United States (US). The conference was titled “Health Disparities: A Time for Action" and was co-hosted by Columbia University (US), Stellenbosch University (South Africa) and the University of Peradeniya (Sri Lanka).
“Sub Saharan Africa (SSA), along with Brazil and the Middle East, has among the highest rates of inequality in the world. In 2016, 54% of SSA's national income went to the top 10% of the population," Volmink said in his plenary address. Highlighting the income discrepancy in South Africa, he said that income inequality has increased significantly since the fall of apartheid in 1994. “By 2014, the top 10% received around two-thirds of the national income and the top 1% had captured 20% of the national income."
Volmink also highlighted how inequality harms society by, for example, undermining democracy; threatening social cohesion and stability; driving disparities in health, education and life chances; and retarding poverty alleviation efforts.
Stellenbosch University Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Wim de Villiers, was part of the delegation that attended the conference. “The CUGH conference brought together 1 800 leaders in health, engineering, business, science and education. It is a power platform on which to showcase Stellenbosch University, and to raise our profile internationally," De Villiers said.
He participated in two panel discussions, titled: “The Impact of Climate Change and Environmental Degradation on Health Outcomes", and a “Discussion with Global Health Leaders".
CUGH was established in 2008 and is a non-profit consortium of universities, organisations, and individuals from around the world involved in addressing global health challenges. Stellenbosch University was the first South African university to become a member of CUGH.
Prof Hester Klopper, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Strategy and Internationalisation at Stellenbosch University also attended the conference, and moderated a panel discussion titled “The War on Women". She has recently been elected to serve on CUGH's Council and will serve a three-year term from 2018-2021.
“It's indeed a great honour to be the first South African to be elected to the Council of CUGH. This gives me the opportunity to represent Stellenbosch University in the international arena, and also to strengthen the Department of Global Health, which was formed at the end of 2016 in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. In addition, it offers me the chance to contribute to global health and the linkage with the Sustainable Development Goals," Klopper said.
Captions
Banner: Prof Jimmy Volmink, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences delivers a talk at the 9th Annual Consortium of Universities for Global Health, recently held in New York, United States.
Top left: Stellenbosch University Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Wim de Villiers.
Top right: Prof Hester Klopper, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Strategy and Internationalisation at Stellenbosch University moderated a panel discussion titled “The War on Women".
Photo: Provided by CUGH
