Life after debt

You may have worn the white wristband, or watched the Live 8 concert. Maybe you even joined the march in Edinburgh.  But did Make Poverty History really achieve anything?

Try asking the people of rural Zambia, where debt cancellation and increased aid has lead to completely free health care for millions of people.

Zambia’s government introduced free health care for people living in rural areas for the first time in April 2006, scrapping fees which for years put health care beyond the reach of millions living in poverty.

This dramatic move is the direct result of debt cancellation and aid increases agreed at the G8 in July 2005, where leaders of rich nations were under sustained pressure by campaigners to act.

Zambia received $4 billion in debt relief – money which is now being poured directly into health and education. 

Campaigning works

 “This is one of the first concrete examples of how the G8 deal in 2005 has made a real difference to peoples’ lives,” says Barbara Stocking, Director of Oxfam.

“Those who backed the Make Poverty History campaign should be proud of this achievement.”

But more must be done

Getting leaders of the richest nations to cancel debt and improve aid – and free up cash for vital basic services in a poor country – was a fantastic achievement, and clear proof that campaigning works.

But now we must do more to make sure Zambians get the full benefit of free health care.

The next challenge

• There is currently only one doctor per 14,000 people in Zambia (one doctor per 600 people in the UK)
• The number of nurses in the country needs to be doubled

Zambia’s next challenge will be to address their chronic shortage of health workers – because there will now be a surge in the number of patients attending health clinics across the country.

People will continue to go untreated unless something is done – fast.

Not all the G8’s 2005 promises have been kept.

That’s why we must keep the pressure up, and ensure the richest countries keep their word to help countries like Zambia.

And you can help us do this now – by signing our vitally important Health and Education petition.

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