A silent crisis is eroding the foundations of public health care and education systems in Africa. The relentless grip of International Monetary Fund-driven austerity measures, which compel governments to slash expenditure on vital public services in favor of servicing foreign debt, is devastating the health care and education systems on the continent, according to a recent ActionAid report.
The report criticizes IMF policies that force low-income countries to prioritize debt repayments over essential services in six African countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, and Nigeria.
The IMF says these austerity measures, which include “social spending floors” — minimum government spending targets for education, health care, and social protection — are intended to help struggling countries stabilize their economies. However, the report finds these measures have still taken a heavy toll on public services.