By Sheminah Nkhoma

Lilongwe, February 10, Mana: Vice President Dr. Michael Usi has commended the East, Central, and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) for its commitment to address issues concerning the health system faced by the African region.

Speaking on Monday during the opening of the 74th Health Ministers Conference for ECSA-HC in Lilongwe, Usi acknowledged the efforts which Ministers of Health from different regions are making to improve the well-being of their citizens.

“ As we look to the future, we must acknowledge the significant progress we have made in healthcare. I am pleased to hear that the ECSA Secretariat will be launching its Strategic Plan for 2024–2034 during the meeting. This Strategy is a significant step toward uniting our efforts and providing a roadmap for the next 10 years,” he said.

Usi further stated that there is a need to enhance the country's capacity to manage health issues and build resilience, saying that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the critical necessity of coordinated and proactive responses to health crises.

The Vice President highlighted the importance of addressing health problems which affect women, children and adolescents.

“Mortality rates remain high in this region. We must do more to ensure that every woman has access to quality reproductive health services and that our youth receive comprehensive education on health and wellness,” said Usi.

He then called upon collective efforts to address challenges facing communicable and non-communicable diseases highlighting that it is a threat to Africa’s health sector.

“Diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria remain leading causes of illness and death. At the same time, non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cancer and mental health disorders are on the rise. This dual burden places enormous pressure on our health systems,” he stated.

Acting Director General of ECSA Sibusiso Sibadze highlighted the organisation’s collaborative efforts in addressing regional health challenges.

“We are working tirelessly to address all health-related problems. Currently, we are also focusing on controlling antimicrobial resistance, which has been a persistent challenge for years,” he said.

In her remarks, Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda said public health emergencies affect many regions which is why it is important to have such meetings so that they can know how to solve health-related problems.

“As Ministers we need to collaborate so that we share experiences in the health sector so that we learn from each other and move forward together,” she said.

The three-day conference is expected to cover priority areas including building capacity for health emergencies and resilience strengthening health systems to respond to emergencies and building resilience in the face of future challenges.

Established in 1974, ECSA is an intergovernmental health organization that promotes regional cooperation in health among its member states and it comprises countries like Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Eswatini, the United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The conference is being held under the theme: "Looking Ahead Post the Golden Jubilee