Angola, like many nations within the area, continues to face rising threats to public well being, together with the continuing cholera outbreak affecting a number of provinces. In response, the Ministry of Well being has taken concrete measures to reinforce the nation’s capability to arrange for and coordinate responses to public well being emergencies.
A central a part of this effort is the institution of Public Well being Emergency Operations Centres (PHEOCs), specialised coordination hubs housed inside the Nationwide Directorate of Public Well being (DNSP) and overseen technically by the Division of Hygiene and Epidemiological Surveillance (DVE). These centres are designed to assist well timed and environment friendly multisectoral coordination not solely throughout outbreaks and well being emergencies, but additionally by steady danger monitoring, occasion and community-based surveillance by way of hotlines, and information from the CPDE to keep up real-time situational consciousness.
Over the previous month, with assist from the World Well being Group (WHO), the Ministry of Well being led a collection of strategic actions to strengthen Angola’s PHEOC system. This included the event and multisectoral overview of key governance paperwork such because the Nationwide PHEOC Handbook, Commonplace Working Procedures (SOPs), and the Enterprise Continuity Plan (BCP). These instruments had been validated by a participatory workshop involving nationwide stakeholders and companions.
The method was additional complemented by an introductory coaching on public well being emergency administration and PHEOC operations, adopted by a tabletop simulation train performed from 14 to 17 April 2025. The simulation introduced a situation of in depth flooding resulting in a cholera outbreak, permitting contributors to check coordination mechanisms and apply the newly developed paperwork in a practical setting.
The initiative introduced collectively 30 contributors from throughout sectors, together with well being, setting, laboratories, civil safety, and the nationwide police, in addition to representatives from regional and worldwide companions such because the Africa CDC, the Financial Neighborhood of Central African States (ECCAS), and the REDISSE IV undertaking.
In line with Dr Walter Firmino, WHO Angola Emergency Officer, Angola has made significant progress in operationalizing its emergency coordination methods. “From creating and validating key paperwork to conducting focused coaching and simulation workouts, the nation has taken main steps in the correct path. Angola now has a stronger basis, however sustaining progress would require steady capability constructing, common testing of coordination methods, and stronger cross-sector collaboration, particularly by improved information-sharing mechanisms,” he stated.
The initiative has strengthened inner group and workforce readiness, as said by Dr. Claudete Samuton do Francisco, a Division of Hygiene and Epidemiological Surveillance technician on the DNSP.
“This coaching will drastically assist us enhance our potential to reply to public well being emergencies in a coordinated and arranged method. We additionally had the chance to overview and validate the guide and SOPs guiding the PHEOC’s functioning. Extra importantly, it strengthened the readiness of every workforce member to meet their position with accountability and effectivity,” she stated.
The strengthening of Angola’s PHEOCs is aligned with the Worldwide Well being Rules (IHR). It builds on world finest practices akin to standardized incident administration methods, real-time information sharing, and participation in regional data networks.
By way of these latest efforts, Angola is making tangible progress towards absolutely operationalizing its PHEOC system, enhancing preparedness, surveillance, and efficient response to future public well being emergencies.