29 August 2006
The Minister of Health Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has called on all African ministers of health to reflect on the political environment in the region as it impacts on broad health issues and programme implementation.
"There is no doubt that Governments need an enabling environment to play their stewardship role and to strengthen leadership in attaining the vision of health development," the Minister, said on Tuesday.
The Minister was speaking at the 56th Session of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, being held to review the work of WHO in the African Region in 2004-2005.
The session is attended by Acting Director General of the WHO Dr Anders Nordstrom, President of the African Union Commission Mr Alpha Konare, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, African Ministers of Health, and the South African health delegation, led by Minister Tshabalala-Msimang.
Reacting to the Regional Director report by Dr Sambo, Minister Tshabalala-Msimang told the delegates that the report also needed to provide a comprehensive picture of the state of health in the African region, taking into account the achievements of the WHO and also the work of the African countries.
"Such a report would assist us gain understanding on how far we have gone in achieving health targets in general, taking into account not only achievements that result from WHO financial support but also those that result from our own domestic budgets and financial assistance from other partners. It would add value to our efforts," the Minister, said.
The Minister also recommended that all nominations, committees and boards of the WHO, should reflect the representivity targets of African Union by ensuring that at least 50% should be women. This was accepted.
The Minister reflected on poverty reduction as outlined by President Thabo Mbeki, and said: "Poverty creates many barriers not only to health but to all economic and social services. We cannot over-emphasise the social determinants of health such as nutrition, food security, education, housing, energy, safe water, sanitation, waste management, injury prevention and safety promotion."
Minister Tshabalala-Msimang told the delegates that a great deal still needed to be done in strengthening health systems in Africa and that the greater part of what needed to be done would require integration and interaction with other sectors. "Health system strengthening cannot be achieved outside of this inter-sectoral development approach."
Outlining some of the achievements made by South Africa in improving the health system, the Minister said that a national Human Resource Plan had been launched to improve the country's ability to deliver services and that South Africa was also in a process of finalizing the establishment of the Presidential Task Team on African Traditional medicine which would facilitate its integration in the health system.
Contact: Charity Bhengu @ +27836797424