This project, which also has a partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), was initially designed to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, said Angola's Minister of Health, Sílvia Lutucuta, when speaking at the opening of the meeting of the PRS Steering Committee.
According to Sílvia Lutucuta, the PRS, planned for a period of two years of implementation, currently in its initial phase of coordination and operationalization, was structured to strengthen the health system, respond to the country's current health needs, as well as to improve the health and well-being of the population.
According to the Minister of Health, the PRS steering committee, which is expected to meet quarterly, is tasked with monitoring the progress of implementing PRS activities, "ensuring effective communication between all parties involved and developing relevant recommendations for the success of the project".
The Minister of Health stressed that the significant increase in domestic health costs and expenses, both public and private, and the consequent overload on the national health system were challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
"It is therefore essential, now more than ever, to act to maintain the gains achieved, transforming the lessons learned into assertive actions to achieve the objectives of sustainable development", she highlighted.
"In this sense, it is expected that this sovereign loan of 50 million euros and the donation of 4.5 million euros, both from the EIB, will contribute to Angola strengthening the health system, through the acquisition of vaccines, medicines and other means to guarantee access to health care for all citizens, particularly at the level of primary health care", he added.
The holder of the Health portfolio thanked the UNDP for the technical support it provided at all stages of the negotiation process, as well as the important role of the World Health Organization (WHO), with the grant of 2.5 million euros for technical assistance , which should complement the project's efforts with the Ministry of Health and the UNDP.
"In times of global challenges like those we currently face, health resilience becomes a priority, this project represents a significant commitment to strengthen the responsiveness of our health systems to current needs and recover health coverage and interventions health, particularly maternal and child health, nutrition and the fight against major endemic diseases", he highlighted.
Sílvia Lutucuta reaffirmed "the strong commitment of the Ministry of Health to continue working with competence and professionalism with the partners of the Health Resilience Project, in order to respond to current health challenges, in order to build a more prosperous Angolan society with greater equity".
