Congo reinforces well being emergency preparedness and response

Brazzaville ‒ The Republic of the Congo at present finalized a evaluate of its nationwide well being emergency preparedness and response capability, an initiative to determine and swiftly shut gaps to strengthen health to face up to future shocks, whereas sustaining supply of routine well being care.

The nation is the third within the African area after the Central African Republic and Sierra Leone, and the sixth globally, to undertake the Common Well being and Preparedness Evaluation (UHPR), a country-led complete and inclusive evaluation involving all authorities sectors, in addition to civil society organizations and different companions.

“The UHPR has enabled us to have high-level authorities involvement, in addition to the involvement by companions and civil society organizations via a multisectoral, whole-of society method. By means of this method we have now been in a position to assess our capacities and determine strategic priorities for well being safety, the well being system and common well being protection,” stated Hon Gilbert Mokoki, Minister of Well being.

“I stay up for persevering with the collaboration to construct a safer and more healthy future for the individuals of Congo and the remainder of the world,” added Hon Mokoki.

The UHPR course of foregrounds enhancements in well being safety, pushed by top-level nation management and dedication. It requires pressing consideration to be paid to precedence interventions, in keeping with regional and world priorities, alongside improved compliance with Worldwide Well being Laws and World Well being Meeting resolutions associated to emergency preparedness.

Taking part international locations decide to voluntary common and clear critiques of their complete nationwide well being and preparedness capacities, in direction of mutual studying and sharing of greatest practices, options and improvements.

Congo launched into the UHPR course of in 2022, drawing classes from the COVID-19 response and aiming to enhance well being emergency preparedness and response. The most important dangers with implications on public well being vary from infectious illnesses, pure disasters corresponding to floods and landslides, in addition to environmental disasters like industrial accidents and air, water and soil air pollution.  

“The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented disaster of solidarity that left us in little question that well being and preparedness are everybody’s enterprise, on the nationwide, regional and world ranges. We applaud the Republic of the Congo’s efforts in main a complete and inclusive evaluate of its preparedness standing and stay up for working with the nation to implement this mechanism,” stated Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Well being Group (WHO) Regional Director for Africa.

“We wanted to work collectively to construct clear, peer-review mechanisms such because the Common Well being and Preparedness Evaluation, which is able to assist mutual accountability, solidarity and cooperation amongst our Member States,” she added.

The UHPR evaluate examines greatest practices, gaps and challenges, together with priorities in three areas of the well being response: governance, methods and financing for well being emergencies, and common well being protection.