Maputo, 14 Jul (AIM) – The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Ghebreyesus, has urged the Mozambican authorities to invest in strong health systems, prioritizing primary health care in the national health system.
According to Ghebreyesus, who was addressing, on Thursday, in Maputo, a conference on Health Infrastructure Investment, the Mozambican government must also boost the fight against public health threats, as well as combat outbreaks of disease at an early stage through comprehensive and accessible care.
The conference is being held in the context of the initiative “One District, One Hospital”, launched by President Filipe Nyusi.
“Mozambique must invest in strong systems, focusing on primary health care, using scientific evidence to detect epidemics”, said Ghebreyesus.
“There is a need to intensify investments in resilient health infrastructure and quality training of human resources as a guarantee for the provision of quality health services to the population, especially in rural areas where fragilities and vulnerabilities are more pronounced”.
WHO, according to Ghebreyesus, advocates building quality health infrastructure and investing in people who work in the health sector “because investment in people is not expenditure, human resources are key to the success of the health sector.”
Ghebreyesus pledged to assist low-income countries, including Mozambique, in mobilizing resources to improve health systems.
He urged the health sector to invest in bringing health facilities closer to communities, praising the presidential initiative “One District, One Hospital” as an innovation in the health sector in Africa. He called on Mozambicans to cherish and support the initiative, given its impact on access to health and improvement of the quality of services provided.
In addition to attending the opening of the Health Infrastructure Investment Conference, the WHO Director-General, together with President Nyusi, attended a high-level panel discussion, which discussed financing mechanisms for health infrastructures.
(AIM)
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