Angola increases number of health units

 Talatona - The National Health System has recorded, over the last five years, an increase of 163 new modern health units, the minister of State for Social Affairs, Dalva Ringote Allen, disclosed the data.

The minister, who was speaking at the 75th anniversary of the World Health Organisation (WHO), said with the new structures equipped with modern technology, the health system now has 13,426 more beds.

Among the main hospital units built over the last five years are the Specialised Treatment Centre for Endemic Diseases and Pandemics, Cardinal Dom Alexandre do Nascimento Cardiopulmonary Disease Hospital Complex, the Dra. Victória do Espírito Santo Paediatric Haematological Institute, Azancot Menezes Maternal and Child Hospital and Bié General Hospital.

Ringote Allen said that the analysis of the actions undertaken by the government is  positive, given the change in the distribution of spending in the social sector, including health, of around 45.1 percent between 2022 and 2023 and an increase in total spending from 4.8 percent to 6.7 percent.

The Human Resources sector, the minister said, has also seen an increase over the last five years, with the hiring of 33,093 professionals, making up 35 percent of the total workforce.

"The majority of health technicians are young people. The investment made shows the increase of staff at the health posts, which rose from 25 percent in 2017 to 70 percent in 2022," Allen said.

For the Minister of State, the growth of public health interventions regarding children and adolescents has made it possible to reduce under-five year mortality, with access to comprehensive child care that rose from 25 percent in 2017 to 93 percent in 2022.

 The official explained that the coverage of the cost of the 14 main vaccines for children has reached 64 percent for routine vaccination coverage, as well as an increase in antiretroviral drugs in HIV-positive pregnant women from 25 percent in 2017 to 73 percent in 2021, with a reduction of HIV/AIDS transmission from mother to child from 28 percent to 15 percent.

According to Dalva Ringote, the Born Free to Shine campaign has increased the access of pregnant women to HIV/AIDS diagnosis in prenatal consultations.

 In turn, WHO representative in Angola, Djamila Cabral,  said the organisation is convinced that by strengthening primary health care, including community health, it is possible to tackle persistent health challenges in a more integrated way, accelerate progress and significantly improve the health of the Angolan population.

 "We reiterate our commitment to work with the Government and other partners to reposition primary health care and ensure that equity of access to health services, especially for the most vulnerable such as women, children and the elderly, is accelerated and the country can move swiftly towards achieving health for all," Cabral said.

The opening ceremony of the WHO 75th anniversary celebrations, to run until April 7, 2024, was attended by members of the Government, representatives of United Nations agencies, diplomatic corps accredited in Angola, key health partners, among others.