Miracles - political and medical - in South Africa

Black Issues in Higher Education, Nov 28, 1996 by L. Douglas Wilder, Eugene P. Trani

Some U.S. congressional leaders are

calling projects funded by the United

States Agency for International

Develop it (USAID) at historically

Black American institutions working in

South Africa examples of "reverse

discrimination."

Continuing U.S. support, however, is

essential to both countries. While U.S.

political leaders debate our policy toward

South Africa, a minor miracle is under way in

that region of the world. It strikes a deep

chord in the American psyche, and there are

many lessons to be learned there.

The miracle is called "reconciliation." It is

part of the theme of President Nelson

Mandela's government, and it possibly may

help to hold the country together as it travels

the road to political, economic, and social

reform. Essentially, it asks dis-enfranchised

Black South Africans to acknowledge the

country's apology for the past, to work

toward healing the profound rift in South

Africa, and not to dwell on past

recriminations.

We recently witnessed a moving symbol

of President Mandela's new policy.

From 1970 to 1993, the University of

Natal, a historically white institution which

supported a Black medical school, shut its

Black students out of university life in the

name of apartheid. In protest, these students

refused to attend their commencement. The

university invited them back on December 5,

1995, for a Reconciliation Graduation

ceremony. More than 500 Black, colored,

and Asian South African practicing

physicians, two of whom serve in Mandela's

cabinet, accepted the university's apology and

received public affirmation of their M.D.

degrees.

President Mandela's agenda for progress

in South Africa depends heavily on

education, and the support of other countries

is crucial. More than twenty countries--including

England, Canada, Australia,

Norway Japan, and Italy--have pledged

support. The two of us were in South Africa

to work out a Memorandum of

Understanding between U.S. and South

African academic institutions to establish the

South African Health Care Initiative at the

express wish of President Mandela.

Under apartheid, three-quarters of the

government's health-care system served less

than 20 percent of the South African

population. Historically white medical schools

received the lion's share of health

care research and training funds. As a result,

nearly half of today's South Africans lack

adequate housing, sanitation, and safe water.

Four historically Black U.S.

institutions--Drew University of Medicine

and Science in Los Angeles, Howard

University College of Medicine in

Washington, D.C., Meharry Medical College

in Nashville, and Morehouse School of

Medicine in Atlanta--and three South

African institutions--the Medical University

of Southern Africa, the University of Natal, and

the University of Transkei--have formed a

consortium along with Virginia Commonwealth

University to work with the National

Department of Health and academic institutions

in South Africa to

carry out President Mandela's initiative.

The historically Black U.S. institutions

have amassed experience in training

African-Americans to become health-care

providers for disadvantaged communities.

VCU, with its experience in research and

training in primary care delivery to the

disadvantaged of Virginia and its existing ties

to South Africa through USAID, helped

broker an agreement.

The initiative targets promising Black

South Africans from areas of greatest need

for training in primary care and in such areas

as child survival, maternal health,

HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, and mental illness.

Reconciliation is not only about Blacks,

but about creating a new South Africa. It is

about dismantling an illegitimate regime

designed to keep Blacks out and supporting

an authentic democracy designed to reunite

the country.

Reconciliation moves away from the

memory of police running pencils through

people's hair to confirm their race. It never

forgets last June's image of South Africans

lining up to vote in the country's first

nonracial democratic election. The will of

Black and white South Africans to bring their

country together is breathtaking. The task is

monumental. Such an agenda necessarily

includes reincorporating Black institutions

into the fabric of the nation. Under such

circumstances and considering America's

long-time involvement in South Africa, to

frame USAID support as reverse

discrimination seems absurd.

It is essential that the debate about our

policy toward South Africa proceed on the

basis of a thorough understanding of South

African reform. The debate should not center

on whether or not we continue our

commitment. Instead, it should focus on how

we can continue our commitment.