Pretoria – In a big diplomatic engagement, Ms. Shenaaz El-Halabi formally offered her credentials because the World Well being Group (WHO) Consultant to South Africa to Hon. Deputy Minister Alvin Botes of the Division of Worldwide Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).
The ceremony, held at DIRCO headquarters in Pretoria, reaffirmed the sturdy and longstanding partnership between WHO and the Authorities of South Africa. Throughout the engagement, each events underscored the significance of strategic collaboration in addressing the nation’s well being challenges together with the quadruple burden of illness (characterised by the simultaneous challenges of maternal, new child, and youngster well being points, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, non-communicable ailments, and violence and accidents) advancing common well being protection (UHC), and strengthening pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPPR) programs.
Deputy Minister Botes welcomed Ms. El-Halabi on behalf of the South African Authorities and recommended WHO’s management in guiding international well being efforts aligned with the Sustainable Growth Targets (SDGs). He highlighted South Africa’s evolving priorities in areas similar to faculty vitamin, social improvement, and the rising burden of weight problems, and underlined the necessity for WHO’s continued assist in leveraging analysis and technical experience throughout these domains.
“We sit up for deepening our cooperation throughout strategic platforms, together with engagements with fundamental training and social improvement,” mentioned Deputy Minister Botes. “Your position is vital in aligning with our complete nationwide improvement frameworks, significantly as we deal with South Africa’s distinctive well being profile.” He reaffirmed South Africa’s ongoing assist for WHO’s mission and expressed optimism for strengthened collaboration throughout Ms. El-Halabi’s tenure.
In her remarks, Ms. Shenaaz El-Halabi expressed honest appreciation for the nice and cozy welcome, describing it as “an honour to serve in South Africa at such a pivotal time for international and nationwide public well being.” She acknowledged and recommended South Africa’s management position on the worldwide stage, significantly beneath its present G20 presidency and assist within the WHO funding rounds and emphasised the nation’s contributions to well being innovation, vaccine manufacturing, and regional knowledge-sharing.
“South Africa performs a pivotal position in advancing and main public well being innovation and response throughout the continent,” she famous. “We’re dedicated to working intently with nationwide stakeholders to strengthen main well being care programs, scale back the HIV and TB burden, and increase equitable entry to care guaranteeing nobody is left behind”, she mentioned.
Ms. El-Halabi additionally recommended the nation’s investments in maternal and youngster well being, communicable and non-communicable illness management, and well being system reforms, such because the implementation of the Nationwide Well being Insurance coverage (NHI). She reaffirmed WHO’s technical and operational assist in advancing nationwide priorities, together with the Shut the Hole Marketing campaign (with the target of closing the remedy hole by placing a further 1.1 million people who find themselves residing with HIV however should not on remedy by the tip of December 2025) and the Finish TB Marketing campaign (screening 5 million individuals).
The assembly concluded with each events agreeing to take care of open channels of communication and common briefing, to make sure that technical cooperation stays strategic, evidence-based, and aligned with South Africa’s improvement targets and the broader 2030 Sustainable Growth Agenda.
In attendance had been colleagues from WHO Mr Faridun Nazriev the exterior relations officer, Dr. Kibachio Mwangi answerable for NCDs and psychological well being, Mr. Jose Sambo Ambrosio, the protocol officer in addition to Ms. Marian Roberts, communications officer) and from DIRCO, Ambassador Dave Malcomson, Chief Director for Social and Financial Growth, Ms. Ziyanda Mhlauli, Parliamentary and Cupboard Liaison Officer; and Mr. Terence Tshisevhe, World Well being Desk.
