Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Ministry of Health recently held an important meeting at Maseru Avani to talk about how to improve health services in Lesotho. It is at this meeting where the National Health Research Forum shared their research findings and offered ideas on how the country can use science and innovation to build stronger health systems.
The main goal of the event was to help researchers work together and show how scientific research can guide health programs that benefit the people of Lesotho. This includes using facts and data to make smart decisions that will improve public health.
The theme of the event was “Strengthening Research and Innovation for Resilient Health Systems and Universal Health Coverage.”
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Health, Hon. Selibe Mochoboroane, said this theme reflects a shared goal of improving health services in the country. He highlighted that many policies have been introduced over the years, including a key symposium in 2013, which helped shape the country’s health strategies. The Minister said research is very important because it helps leaders make informed decisions that match the real needs of the Basotho people.
“Research helps us understand what works best, measure our progress, and fight diseases like HIV, TB, and other serious health problems,” said the Minister.
After his speech, researchers from the National Health Research Forum shared their findings. One of the main presentations focused on HIV in children born to HIV-positive mothers.
Dr. Felix Ndagije from ICAP at Columbia University spoke about how the country has reached important HIV goals known as the 90-90-90 targets set by UNAIDS. However, he warned that Lesotho still faces high rates of HIV infections and deaths among babies.
He said that from the data collected over 18 months, 132 out of every 250,000 people tested positive for HIV, including 10,659 infants. Among these babies, 20 had already died.
Dr. Ndagije recommended urgent action to reduce deaths and to improve how children with HIV are tracked and treated. He also suggested using a unique ID system to follow HIV-positive women and their babies more easily through the health system.
Another presentation focused on breast cancer. Mopa Sooro, a lecturer at the National University of Lesotho, shared findings from a study conducted at Senkatana Oncology Clinic in Maseru. She said they studied 66 breast cancer patients, and most of them were middle-aged women. However, the highest number of cases was found in younger women, aged 36 to 45.
“This shows the urgent need for early detection and better treatment,” Sooro said. She stressed the importance of breast cancer awareness, better screening programs, and more research into targeted treatments that suit Lesotho’s population.
The Deputy Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Mantšoanelo Monyobi, also spoke at the event. She said that the COVID-19 pandemic showed just how important it is for Lesotho to have strong and flexible health systems. She thanked everyone who worked hard to collect and share important health information.
“I want to thank the organisers of this forum, the researchers, and the ethics committee. This work takes dedication and long hours, but it is important for improving our health systems,” she said.
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