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.

Oil tax revenue drops in first quarter this year

 Luanda - The oil tax revenue stood at 1.3 billion kwanzas in the first quarter of this year, Kz 800 billion less compared to the same period of 2022, during which the sector collected Kz 2.1 billion.

The value (Kz 1.3 billion) resulted from the sale of 96.84 million barrels of oil at an average price of USD 79.31, based on data available on the Ministry of Finance website, through the Special Taxation Directorate (DTE) .

As for the first quarter of 2022, in which the State collected 2.1 billion kwanzas, the country exported 103.144 million barrels, at an average price of USD 87.

The first quarter of this year (2023) loses with 2022, both in terms of the average price per barrel and in terms of the quantities of crude oil exported.

The revenue collected results from the payment of taxes on the transaction, sharing and production of crude oil.

Block 17 remains in the main position with the best performance, producing 32.5 million of the total barrels of crude oil exported, followed by Block 32, with 12.9 million, Block 0, with 12.8 million and Block 15 with 11.06 million barrels.

In 2022, oil tax revenues were around 9.108 billion kwanzas, in 2022, representing a growth of 51% compared to the same period (2021), which recorded revenues of Kz 6. 034 billion.

Revenue collected last year resulted from the sale of around 417 million barrels of oil, as well as the payment of taxes on the transaction, sharing and production of crude oil, according to the manager of the General Tax Administration (AGT), Tiago Santos, who was speaking at a press conference this Monday, in Luanda.

For this economic year of 2023, the Budget proposal has a reference price of USD 75 per barrel of oil, and an average daily oil production of 1.18 million barrels.

France to fund agribusiness projects in Angola

 Luanda - French Development Agency (AFD) has said it will fund agribusiness projects in Angola through the Angolan Development Bank (BDA), in a partnership between both institutions, as part of the diversification of the national economy, ANGOP learnt Wednesday.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy and Planning (MEP),  the initiative is part of the global movement called Common Finances and brings together the development banks of the two countries and seeks sustainability in the sector. 

The statement adds that the two sides discussed about the projects supported by the AFD in Angola and the possibility of broadening the agency's participation in the implementation of programmes and projects under the National Development Plan (NDP) 2023/2027. 

The MEP's minister, Mário Caetano João, is in France on a working visit, since May 15 leading a delegation that was received by the AFD's general director, Rémy Rioux.

The Angolan delegation includes the Secretary of State for Trade and the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, Amadeu Nunes and João Cunha, respectively, as well as the Angolan Ambassador to France, Guilhermina Prata.

Over 100 Angolans benefit from scholarships in US

 Luanda - More than 100 young Angolans students, aged between 25 and 35 years old, have benefited, since 2014, from a scholarship in the United States of America (USA), said Thursday the US ambassador to Angola.

The initiative is part of the "Mandela Washington Fellowship" project designed for young Africans.

Tulinabo Mushingi, said so to the press at the meeting with 17 new beneficiaries of the scholarship, of whom 14 are Angolan and three from São Tomé & Príncipe.

The diplomat said after six months of training in the US they will join the group of 5,800 young people on the continent, who have also benefited from the project

The ambassador said he expects from the graduates, after returning to their native country, to share experience with other young people, as well as help in permanent strengthening of ties between the peoples of America and Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe.

The US ambassador to Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe, Tulinabo Mushingi, asked the scholarship holders to be more engaged in actions for the development of communities, as well as offering them job opportunities to participate in the development of the country.

The beneficiaries who travel to the US, in June, will have the support of 28 institutions that will focus on passing on teaching in the field of business, civic engagement and public management.

These institutions represent the higher education diversity in that country and includes public and private schools, rural and urban campuses of small and large number of students.

Students will be organised on university campuses and will be supported in developing their leadership skills through academic studies, workshops, mentoring, networking with American leaders and collaboration with local community members.