"Well, half jokingly, I would say that this is a nurse's son's thing. A nurse's son has to be sensitive to health. I grew up walking the corridors of a hospital. Therefore, I know how to value people's health. I saw patients in very precarious conditions in my childhood and that stayed in my mind. Therefore, today that I am in a position where I can help solve this problem, of having a National Health System that really works, it is the opportunity to do so", said João Lourenço, speaking to the press during the inauguration of the Viana General Hospital.
The head of state said it was his conviction that "we can and must provide better conditions of medical and medication assistance" to citizens.
"This possibility exists and the results are demonstrating that, despite budgetary and financial difficulties, we are gradually managing to execute the broad program of construction or reconstruction, rehabilitation of hospital units at three levels, in the three categories, from primary to tertiary", he added.
"Sometimes there is the idea that we are only building large hospitals, with 200 beds. In this case, there are even 300. But that idea remains because this level of hospitals is almost always inaugurated by the Head of State. And that gives more visibility. But we are paying this attention at all levels, with resources from the General State Budget, with resources from a specific program that is already known to Angolans: resources from PIIM [Programa Integrado de Intervenção nos Municípios]", he pointed out.
He also highlighted that "so-called proximity units are being built in the most remote municipalities" in the country and that, within the scope of the PIIM, "many hospital units are being built at that level of the municipality and below".
However, he said that "paying attention" to this sector is not just about building and equipping, there is a need to give greater importance to human resources.
"But paying attention to Health is not just about building and equipping. Just with walls and equipment, no matter how modern they may be, we don't pay attention to patients. This is only possible if we add to the importance we give to infrastructures, we give equal or greater importance to the Man. The Man who will make the health of the Angolans who join this unit, after a week, after a month, improve considerably", he said.
On the occasion, he recalled that they are "admitting, annually, thousands of Angolan citizens, through public competition, to the Health sector – not just doctors, but also nurses, diagnostic technicians – and providing training".
"We are providing training in these reference hospitals. We don't yet have a university hospital. We will have one. But while it doesn't arrive, the reference hospitals that already exist, such as Cardinal Dom Alexandre do Nascimento, Materno Infantil Azancot de Menezes, Walter Strangway in Bié, the one in Cabinda, this one that has just been opened and the Military Hospital, all of them are operating as if they were university hospitals", he said, adding that "the man factor is fundamental" and they are not "neglecting this part".
