Africa-Press – Angola. President João Lourenço announced on Wednesday (25), in Brussels, that Angola is implementing an ambitious training program for 38 thousand professionals in critical areas to strengthen primary health care.
The Head of State was speaking during the High-Level Meeting of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), where he stressed that “investing in the training of professionals is investing in health sovereignty”.
According to João Lourenço, the effectiveness of any health system “does not depend only on vaccines and equipment, but above all on qualified professionals”, which is why Angola, with the support of GAVI, has been training epidemiologists, logistics technicians, data managers, among other specialties essential to the effective implementation of the National Immunization Program.
During his speech, the President recalled that Angola was a direct beneficiary of crucial support from GAVI, enabling the introduction of seven new vaccines, including those that protect against two of the three main causes of death in children under five: pneumonia and viral diarrhea.
João Lourenço also announced that the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine will soon be introduced to ensure a healthy life for Angolan youth.
He also added that the country intends to include the vaccine against malaria, considered the main cause of death in Angola, in its immunization plan.
The President also highlighted important advances in the recovery of “zero dose” children, in the response to outbreaks of polio, COVID-19, measles and cholera, as well as in the installation of state-of-the-art cold chains powered by solar energy.
“The introduction of this equipment represents a strategic advance for the expansion of vaccination in remote areas, ensuring greater coverage and safe storage of vaccines,” the president said.
The use of solar energy, he added, also contributes to the reduction of carbon emissions, promoting more sustainable health systems aligned with global climate commitments.
João Lourenço also referred to the substantial improvement in the digitalization of information systems, which has allowed for more efficient management of vaccines and essential health products.
For the Head of State, the partnership with GAVI “has not only saved lives, but also strengthened the population’s trust in public health services”.
The GAVI Summit, co-organized by the European Union and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, brings together Heads of State, leaders of international organizations, donors and representatives of civil society, with the aim of mobilizing funds for the next strategic cycle of the Global Vaccine Alliance, which aims to immunize an additional 500 million children by 2030.
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