Africa-Press – Botswana. The just-ended Joint External Evaluation (JEE) is a step towards enhancing Botswana’s health security.
This was said by permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health, Professor Oathokwa Nkomazana at the JEE assessment closing ceremony in Gaborone recently.
Prof. Nkomazana said a resilient health system remained important in achieving health outcomes, given the current shocks to health care services.
She therefore highlighted the need for capacity to prepare and effectively respond to health crisis, maintain core functions as informed by lessons learnt especially from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There is need for Botswana to enhance preparedness and response to develop actions for health challenges or outbreak or crises that may threaten health security. Health facilitators need to take deliberate steps in order to attain a resilient health system,” she said.
She said conducting JEE identified critical gaps for health security and therefore conducting the evaluation, Botswana would fortify its health infrastructure and better position itself to tackle emerging public health threats.
For her part, JEE team lead, Dr Miriam Nanyunja said they were governed by International Health Regulations (IHR2005).
Dr Nanyunja said the JEE which was established by the World Health Organisation (WHO), served as a framework for countries to prevent, detect and respond to international public health emergencies
She said JEE played a crucial role in identifying strengths, weaknesses as well as areas for improvement in a country’s health system, contributing to the global effort to safeguard public health.
Also, she said the international health regulations required all states to develop core public health capacities for prevention, detection assessment, notification and reporting of events and for responding promptly and effectively to risks and emergencies.
“JEE involves assessment for countries to enhance preparedness and response mechanisms, ensuring a more resilient and adaptive health system that addresses the complex interplay between human, animal and environmental factors,” she said.
She added that the JEE assessment process involved transparent assessment of a country’s capacities in all the 19 technical areas, which were grouped in IHR core competencies.
Dr Nanyunja commended Botswana’s proactive approach, nevertheless saying there were a few things that needed to be strengthened such empowering the National Focal Point and availing resources for IHR implementation.
She also said there was need to fast track finalisation and signing or endorsement of pending various legal and strategy documents critical in implementation of IHR activities or technical areas.
Furthermore, she said Botswana needed to strengthen surveillance establishment of events-based surveillance up to communities, digitalisation of data collection systems up to health facility level and information sharing between sectors.
She further said infrastructure and human resource development also needed to be strengthened and therefore advised Botswana to complete the establishment of Botswana Public Health Institute.
That, she said would show dedication to upholding international health standards and protecting its population from health threats.
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