Luanda - Angola's Health minister, Sílvia Lutucuta, highlighted Tuesday in Lisbon at the EuroAfrica2023 Forum, the country’s experience in controlling the Covid-19 pandemic, the importance of investing in digital infrastructure and the adoption of new technologies.
The minister said African countries faced huge logistical, financial and structural challenges in the acquisition and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, underlining that many of them have shown resilience by seeking creative solutions and establishing partnerships to ensure access to vaccines.
The Angolan minister emphasised that the Forum is an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between the two continents and to identify growth opportunities based on ideas, realities, needs and projects of mutual interest.
Lutucuta spoke of the need to strengthen health partnerships, sharing knowledge of innovative pharmaceutical technologies in particular, at such an important stage of the post-pandemic transition and preparation to respond to new global epidemics and pandemics.
The event provides an opportunity to strengthening of health system, with a particular focus on manufacture of vaccines, medicines and health technologies in Africa and Angola in particular.
"We recognise that there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure equitable access to vaccines, medicines and health technologies across the African continent, however several initiatives are underway and we are counting on the support of World Health Organisation, GAVI, UNICEF and other public and private partners to turn made-in-Africa production and distribution into a fact", the minister said.
Technology applied to health such as telemedicine, the Health Minister said, creates opportunities to increase equitable access to health services for the most vulnerable populations by facilitating access to services, vaccines and other health services that run on solar energy and mobile communication solutions.
The EuroAfrica Forum is an action-oriented platform to promote stronger collaboration between Europe and Africa.
The 2023 Forum aims to promote an effective, modern and inclusive debate, drawing ideas, realities and projects of interest for both continents.
ART/Amp/jmc
