President João Lourenço has authorized, by executive order, the signing of a financing agreement between Angola and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) in the total amount of $250 million to fund the Project for Preparedness, Response, and Resilience to Health Emergencies in the country.
The measure, published in the Official Gazette on April 8 of this year, also includes a $3 million grant from the Habitable Planet Fund, also earmarked for the aforementioned project.
The Minister of Finance is the government official designated to negotiate and sign the aforementioned financing agreement with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, part of the World Bank Group (WB).
The Order clarifies that the measure stems from the need to strengthen the resilience of the National Health System (SNS) and multisectoral preparedness and response to health emergencies throughout the country.
The Project on Preparedness, Response, and Resilience to Health Emergencies in the Country is a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening the country’s capacity to effectively prevent and respond to public health emergencies, in alignment with the International Health Regulations and the regional commitments of Southern and Central Africa.
The project, to be implemented by the Ministry of Health in close coordination with multisectoral partners, is also aimed at strengthening the resilience of the National Health System and enhancing multisectoral preparedness and response to health emergencies throughout the country, by strengthening surveillance systems, laboratories, and readiness and rapid response capabilities, taking into account the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent health emergencies.
The World Health Organization (WHO) considers this measure crucial for better protecting the health of the Angolan population
The initiative will be implemented by strengthening the capacity and resilience of the National Health System to manage responses to public health emergencies. This component, in accordance with the strategy designed for its implementation, aims to consolidate coordination, planning, and governance structures in the health sector through multisectoral and cross-border systems for planning, financing, governance, and information, focused on improving resilience to health emergencies.
The Project also includes the development and revision of technical documents and health policies, operational studies, and the strengthening of health programs, among other actions.
One of the project’s major advantages relates to easier access to quality health products (including the procurement of priority vaccines for the country), the strengthening of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), and the reinforcement of vector control efforts.
Stronger epidemiological surveillance systems
In addition to strengthening epidemiological and laboratory surveillance systems through a multisectoral approach, the Project will support emergency management, coordination, and the continuity of essential services, including maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health services.
The initiative also aims to expand emergency management, coordination, and service continuity, paying special attention to the growing pressure that climate shocks exert on the health system, and to acquire mobile treatment centers equipped to respond to health emergencies.
The plan includes strengthening the reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health program and improving the availability of products and services, with a special focus on the most disadvantaged women and girls in remote and rural areas.
In terms of outcomes, the Project is expected to improve national preparedness for health emergencies, reduce the time required to detect and respond to outbreaks, foster regional integration and cross-border collaboration in public health, and strengthen human and institutional capacity in health. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers this measure crucial for better protecting the health of the Angolan population.
Source: Jornal de Angola
