Luanda - The Minister of Health, Sílvia Lutucuta, reaffirmed on Tuesday in Luanda the Government's commitment to universalizing access to health to leave no one behind, mitigating inequalities and social asymmetries.
The minister reaffirmed the position during the opening speech at the celebration of “Universal Health Coverage Day 2023', which was attended by the WHO representative in Angola, Humphrey Karamagi, and the UNICEF representative in Angola, Antero Pina.
“Angola continues to make significant efforts and commitments to universalize access to health, particularly primary health care, to leave no one behind,” he reaffirmed.
The Angolan Government, according to the minister, has invested in infrastructure in the National Health Service, increasing the problem-solving capacity at the three levels of care to respond to the needs of the population, from primary care to the most specialized and complex interventions.
“A total of 163 new health units were built, expanded and equipped with new technologies, of which 48 under the Public Investment Program (PIP) and 115 under the Integrated Plan for Intervention in Municipalities (PIIM),” said the minister, reinforcing that of the new units, 155 were built at the primary level of care, which resulted in an increase of more than 24,382 beds in the National Health Service.
To improve the coverage of health services, 41,093 new professionals in the special career and in the general regime reinforced the staff, with an increase of 40.5 percent of the total workforce.
The International Day for Universal Health Coverage is celebrated annually on 12 December. It was proclaimed through Resolution 72/138 adopted at the United Nations General Assembly on 12 December 2017. ART/DOJ
