Luanda, Angola – 23 October 2023. The members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Advisory Group on Well being made a discipline go to to the Hospital Materno Infantil Dr Manuel Pedro Azancot de Menezes in Luanda. The hospital was inaugurated on 1 June 2022, as a specialised facility to assist maternal and little one well being providers. The sphere go to was convened by the Angolan Ministry of Well being, and coordinated by the World Well being Group (WHO). This was according to the IPU advisory group’s give attention to sexual and reproductive well being and rights (SRHR).
The delegation was met by the 2 Angola Ministry of Well being State Ministers; for Public Well being Dr. Carlos Alberto Pinto de Sousa and Hospitals Dr. Leonardo Europeo Inocencio. With them have been the WHO Consultant (ai) Dr. Humphrey Karamagi, and the Director of the Hospital Dr Manuel Pedro Azancot de Menezes; plus three Angolan parliamentary deputies who’re members of the well being committee of the Angolan Parliament. Extra esteemed members included Dr. Luis Sambo, Former Minister of Well being and WHO AFRO Regional Director Emeritus, and Dr. Flavia Bustreo, Former WHO Assistant Director-Basic for Household, Girls’s and Youngsters’s Well being. Representatives of the United Nations Youngsters’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Inhabitants Fund (UNFPA), and the Order of Docs of Angola participated within the go to.
The go to included an summary of the aim of the WHO-IPU partnership offered by Dr. Humphrey Karamagi, adopted by an summary of the SRHR scenario in Angola from 4 completely different views: the WHO Nation workplace, the Ministry of Well being; the Angolan Parliament.
The day started with three attention-grabbing and enlightening displays, providing the delegation insights into the advances made in SRHR. It was an eye-opener, shedding mild on each the tangible progress and protracted challenges from the lenses of WHO in Angola, the Angolan Ministry of Well being, the Angolan Parliament; and the hospital. This highlighted the essential gaps in SRHR providers and the necessity for the IPU to speed up advocacy, accountability, laws, and funding from international locations. The dialogue was adopted by a hospital tour, led by the 2 State Ministers and the Hospital Director, which showcased the federal government’s dedication and investments in making SRHR providers obtainable.
The members of the IPU advisory group expressed appreciation for the chance that afforded them a extra in-depth understanding of the problems they should give attention to to assist SRHR providers and the general well being agenda by parliamentarians. The go to helped contribute to bridging the hole between proof and policymaking on this case concerning SRHR service uptake and use. The Ministry of Well being appreciated the curiosity of the Members of the IPU in advocating and supporting the SRHR providers.