Lusaka,  18 March 2011 -- Recognizing the need to strengthen cross-border cooperation for effective disease surveillance and containment and in line with the 60th Session of the WHO Regional Committee Resolution on cross-border collaboration, the Ministers of Health from Angola, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia and Zambia, met in Lusaka the capital city of Zambia from the 17 to 18th March 2011.

The ministerial meeting was preceded by a technical meeting of representatives from the ministries of health of the countries represented as well as a technical advisory meeting on Poliomyelitis.

Lusaka, 18 March 2011 -- Recognizing the need to strengthen cross-border cooperation for effective disease surveillance and containment and in line with the 60th Session of the WHO Regional Committee Resolution on cross-border collaboration, the Ministers of Health from Angola, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia and Zambia, met in Lusaka the capital city of Zambia from the 17 to 18th March 2011.

The ministerial meeting was preceded by a technical meeting of representatives from the ministries of health of the countries represented as well as a technical advisory meeting on Poliomyelitis.

The Ministerial meeting addressed several common cross - border public health issues that impacted on the health of the citizens of the countries represented in particular:

1. Cholera and other common outbreak diseases
2. Routine immunization and Polio eradication
3. Preparedness and response to disease outbreaks in the context of primary health care and
4. Increased circulation of fake and counterfeit medicines within and between the countries

After intense debate the ministers endorsed the recommendations to:

1. Strengthen cross-border collaboration by immediately establishing mechanisms through which the implementation of joint cross-border activities could be coordinated.
2. Collaborate with other sectors in the provision of adequate clean water and sanitation as the primary tools in reducing by 50% the number of cholera cases and by 90% the fatality rate in the next three years in the five countries.
3. Strengthen the National Medicines Regulatory Authorities in their respective countries as well as to share capacities to perform quality control of medicines between their countries.

The Ministers fully endorsed the recommendations of the Polio Technical Advisory Group on polio eradication in the countries represented as the way of ensuring interruption of poliovirus circulation in their countries by the end of June 2011.

In addition the ministers endorsed the deliberation and recommendations from the technical meeting of experts on cross border issues.

The ministers agreed to meet every year to review progress made in implementing their recommendations to technicians in the respective countries.

The ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with concrete steps to move the agreed implementation activities forward.

The Regional Director of the WHO for the African Region Dr. Luis G. Sambo was present at the signing ceremony for the Memorandum of Understanding on cross- border public health issues between Angola, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia and Zambia.

For more information contact:

Nora Mweemba, Health Information and Promotion Officer.

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