Africa-Press – Botswana. Botswana is ready to host the 73rd session of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Committee (RC73) for Africa scheduled for Gaborone from August 28 to September 1.
Briefing the media Gaborone on Friday, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Heath, Ms Grace Muzila said 500 delegates including 47 health ministers from across Africa would attend the conference to discuss health promotion and learn best practices from each other.
She said President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi was expected to officiate at the conference.
She noted that Botswana was delighted to have been given the huge responsibility to host especially that the RC73 conference coincided with the WHO Diamond Jubilee Celebration. She said through the conference, Batswana would get the opportunity to hear the impact that the WHO has had in Botswana.
“Botswana will also have an opportunity to share its success stories and challenges in the health sector, including that it will also be an opportunity to learn from the experiences of other African countries, she said.
Ms Muzila explained that with Botswana known for its democracy and good governance credentials, hosting the conference positioned the country as a leading Meeting, Incentive, Conference, and Exhibitions (MICE) destination. Hosting the conference would also propel the country’s trade and investments, she said.
The country was also known for its growing and promising health sector that performed beyond the reach of many during the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. Therefore, she said RC73 was an inclusive event, adding that many local businesses were expected to benefit from the event across the value chain.
“We expect the hospitality, retail, transport, health, creative arts, service providers (technical support, catering, décor), as well as the informal sector, to immediately benefit from the purchasing power that will come from conference delegates and organisers,” she said.
Deputy Permanent Secretary of Health Policy, Research and Development, Mr Moses Keetile highlighted that the WHO Africa regional committee was the WHO’s decision making body.
He said they met once in a year to formulate policies, provide oversight, appreciate progress reports from different member states, deliberate and endorse new initiatives with the aim to improve people’s health.
Mr Keetile said the Minister of Health, Dr Edwin Dikoloti would assume the regional leadership of RC73.
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