Angola Faces Health Crisis as Oil Price Drop Leads to Cutbacks

Friday, February 12, 2016

When a plunge in oil prices prompted Angola’s government to slash public spending last year, street trader Antonio Simao Baptista had no idea it would leave his rundown suburb overwhelmed by filth and disease.

The budget of Africa’s second largest oil exporter has been cut again this year and is 40 percent lower than two years ago.

Public services including trash collection and water sanitation, are overlooked by contractors who aren’t being paid or can’t import equipment due to foreign exchange shortages, contributing so a surge in deadly diseases.

“Look at the garbage and also the water we drink is filthy. The water in my home is brown. I was raised in the colonial-era and I have never seen this before,” said Baptista, 60, swatting away flies and mosquitoes swarming overhead.

Source: Voice of America (link opens in a new window)

Categories
Health Care
Tags
business development, public health