Africa-Press – Botswana. As new diseases emerge and old ones resurge, pandemic preparedness has become a critical concern for global health. Lessons from recent pandemics are key in building future buffers and preparedness for forthcoming outbreaks.
In the wake of COVID-19, pandemic preparedness is an urgent priority for governments, health agencies and international organisations worldwide.
It was against this backdrop that Acting Minister of Health, Mr David Tshere, commended the launch of the SADC regional pandemic fund, which is based on the principle of multisectoral collaboration. With proactive measures, societies can better prevent, detect and respond to pandemics, safeguarding public health and socioeconomic stability.
Thus, hosting the multi-country forum for the pandemic fund was a significant diplomatic honour for Botswana and recognition of the country’s commitment to global health architecture.
It was a platform for the country to showcase its capabilities, share its successes and strengthen partnerships that would define the future.
The event was more than a meeting, but also a launch of coordinated action, shared knowledge and renewed promise to protect the health and prosperity of every citizen in the region.
Delivering a keynote address at the launch of the implementation phase of the multi-country pandemic fund forum, Mr Tshere, indicated that the initiative was far more than just another project due to its transformative approach, empowered by the $35.8 million (about P466.9 million) investment.
“This fund embodies a global commitment forged out of the ordeals, hardship, triumphs, and lessons learned from the 2019 Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
He stated that the fund was dedicated to building a world better prepared to prevent, detect and respond to health threats.
The fund, he said, would fortify the very foundation of the region’s health system, stating that while various SADC countries might have their own sovereignty, health security nonetheless recognised no boundaries.
He further said Botswana was ready to move from planning to action-oriented implementation in addressing health pandemics, highlighting the country’s political will and readiness to address pandemic outbreaks.
“We must break our ministerial silos and align all the policies as well as direct all the resources collaboratively towards addressing pandemic challenges,” he said.
He stated that the visibility of the fund’s impact must be matched by accountability and tangible impact in the community.
Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe received just under US$36 million (over P480 million) from the Pandemic Fund to boost regional health security and fend off climate-related threats.
The grant catalysed an additional US$32 million (over P426.8 million) in co-investment and US$12.3 million (over P164 million) in co-financing.
The Southern African countries are among the world’s most impacted by natural disasters, a reality that put decades of public health improvements in jeopardy.
Minister Tshere thus said rapid warming and changing rainfall patterns intensified extreme weather events like droughts and floods, leaving the area’s people vulnerable to vector and water-borne diseases.
“The displacement of people and families from their homes and the movement of populations from one country to another exacerbate the risk of disease spread, while economic fragility, conflict, poverty and food insecurity complicate prevention and response efforts in many of the project’s countries,” he said.
Meanwhile, with the pandemic fund grant, the eight countries and their partners aim to strengthen regional health security via an advanced Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) system that incorporates climate considerations.
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