The newly appointed World Well being Group (WHO) Consultant to Namibia, Dr. Richard Banda formally introduced his credentials to the Minister of Worldwide Relations and Cooperation, Hon. Dr. Peya Mushelenga on 13 June 2024.
Throughout the assembly, Hon. Dr. Peya Mushelenga welcomed Dr. Richard Banda to the Land of the Courageous and commented WHO for supporting the federal government with the well being response. “We’re grateful for the help that has been rendered to our nation to battle varied pandemics together with COVID-19 and Malaria which is well-known on this area of southern Africa,” he remarked.
Presenting his credentials, Dr. Banda thanked the Minister for the nice and cozy welcome and expressed his appreciation for being accorded the chance to signify World Well being Group in Namibia. He additional acknowledged the management and dedication of the federal government in direction of guaranteeing common well being protection. “I’m happy to notice that Namibia is among the many first African international locations to attain preliminary milestones in direction of the elimination of vertical transmission of HIV, and Hepatitis B from Mom to Youngster. For us, that is a cornerstone for sustainable growth and Namibia is on observe in direction of attaining the common well being protection milestones” he added
Dr. Banda additional acknowledged the position that Namibia performed in serving to WHO set up a pandemic accord, searching for the federal government to proceed partaking within the international well being discussions and the continuing revision of the Worldwide Well being Laws. He additional dedicated WHO help to the federal government in addressing public well being points within the nation, stating “I guarantee you that working alongside different stakeholders, WHO is and stays your dedicated accomplice in addressing the social, environmental different determinants of well being within the nation. I subsequently search your continued engagement with the group and different companions specializing in fixing points affecting the well being of our communities”.
Earlier than coming to Namibia, Dr. Richard Banda was WHO Consultant to the Kingdom of Lesotho for shut to five years. He’s a public well being specialist with over 25 years of expertise within the well being sector facilitating well being coverage formulation, technical cooperation, and coverage dialogue at each nationwide and worldwide ranges. Dr. Banda joined WHO 20 years in the past and has labored with the nationwide TB/HIV applications within the sub-Saharan area at varied obligation stations together with Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya and Malawi. He has additionally been actively concerned in managing public well being emergency responses together with the COVID-19 pandemic, Ebola, Cholera, floods and pandemic influenza preparedness in a number of international locations.