National Health Policy Would focus on the sustainable development of the health sector

Luanda, 9 February 2006 -- A team of international experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) is currently in Angola for a ten-day mission aimed at supporting the country in the process of elaboration of its National Health Policy. A special request in this regard has been made by the Ministry of Health which is willing to finalize a National Health Policy in the next two months, with the technical support of WHO.

The mission includes two experts from the WHO Headquarters in Geneva and three experts from the Regional Office for Africa, who are working in the areas of Health Systems, Evidence and Information for Health Policy and maternal health and safe motherhood. The counterpart of the Ministry of Health (MINSA) includes the national director of public health, the national director of human resources, the National director of the Cabinet of Planning and the National director of Medicines and Equipments.

The WHO mission will assist the national health authorities to undertake a global analysis, to identify priorities and to coordinate the whole process to put in place a comprehensive national health policy, in close collaboration with the relevant partners and stakeholders. "Our goal is to ensure a sustainable development of health for all the people in this country, especially the most vulnerable groups", the WHO Representative Dr. Fatoumata Diallo said.

Such meetings will focus on global analysis of the whole health plight of communities in Angola, and the perspectives for their development in the future. The discussions will be focusing on the role of each partner in the whole process of formulation of the national health policy, including the private sector, the international agencies, the bilateral cooperation and the international donors.

The process of elaboration of the National health Policy will take in account the national priorities, the existing plans for the health sector, and global policy for development already defined by the Government of Angola for all the health related areas (such as water and sanitation; education, transports, agriculture, planning and finance), as well as the national strategy for poverty reduction and the Millennium development goals (MDGs).

According to Dr. Fatoumata Diallo, the WHO will provide all the necessary support to the ministry of Health to ensure the success of this initiative, by facilitating a wide dialogue amongst all the relevant stakeholders in order to facilitate a wide participation of all the partners of the government".

For more information, please contact:

WHO Representative, Angola , Tel.: (244) 222 395 701- Fax: (244) 222 332314 - email: wr [at] ao.afro.who.int