African Ministers of Health of Small Island Developing States meet to tackle health development issues.

Victoria, Mahe , 23 October 2006 -- Five African Small Island Developing States (SIDS) began a meeting Monday in Mahe , Seychelles, to take stock of their health status and find ways of improving the health of their populations.

Speaking at the opening session of the meeting taking place from from 23 to 24 October, the Minister of Health of Seychelles, Mrs Macsuzy Mondon, said, “All of us here today know that promoting health and enhancing wealth are concerned both with fighting and preventing diseases. All of us know that the amount of resources we need, to be fully successful in this gigantic task, is enormous. This is all the more reason why common health risks and threats, common structural strengths and weaknesses, common cultures all signify that we must come together and mount a well- coordinated and integrated front against the challenges that we face”. 

In his statement, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Luis Sambo, said that the WHO Africa Regional Office itself was undergoing reform designed to improve the quality of technical support to Member States. “We are undertaking reforms to decentralize and strengthen technical support to countries in view of accelerating the implementation of Health MDGs in the African region. This process should also provide better response to the specific needs of small island states”, DR. Sambo said.
The Seychelles Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Patrick Pillay officially declared open the meeting being attended by Ministers of Health Ministers of Cape Verde, Comoros, Mauritius, Sao Tome & Principe and Seychelles. He stressed that it was important for small island states, “ to speak to each other and to speak as one voice to others”. Mr. Pillay stated that in this age of globalization, SIDS are not only faced with issues of commerce but also marginalization, climate change and health, amongst others.

The two day meeting will focus particularly on the double burden of diseases faced by most of the island states. Countries will work to come up with common approaches to face these challenges.

For more information, please contact:

WHO Liaison Office, Les Palmes Building, Palm Street, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles
Tel: (248) 224.795; 324.806 
Fax: (248) 22 57 54 
Telegr.:UNISANTE SEYCHELLES

E-mail: who [at] seychelles.net