João Lourenço, who addressed the Nation in the speech that marked the opening of the parliamentary year this Friday, stressed that in the last four years important investments have been made in the health sector, with plans to start next year the construction works for the hospitals in Viana, Cacuaco, Cunene, Ndlantando, Sumbe and Caxito, each with at least 200 beds.
"Today, more than ever, we are strengthening primary health care and increasing the population's access to family doctors in the municipalities" said the head of government, adding that financial resources from credit lines are being mobilized, for the construction of hospitals in Catumbela, Bailundo, Dundo, Malange, Uíge, the rehabilitation and expansion of the Américo Boavida Hospital and the completion of the Mbanza Congo General Hospital.
"With this colossal investment in health infrastructure at this central and provincial level that could be completed between 2023/2024, our perspective is to move to the next phase, investing in smaller units of proximity, in the primary health care network, in the city and in the neighborhood", said João Lourenço.
The president also highlighted the executive's commitment to combating the effects of the drought, with several projects underway, including the N'Due and Caluqueve dams in the Cuvelai river basin, whose completion within 2 years, "will resolve in very significant terms the problem of lack of water in Cunene".
João Lourenço pointed out that, in addition to the covid-19 pandemic, the natural calamities that devastated the country aggravated the level of vulnerability of the populations, with emphasis on the phenomenon of drought in the southern region of the country, with greater incidence in the provinces of Cunene, Namibe, Huila and Cuando Cubango.
The executive responded "in an emergency manner to the situation of drought in southern Angola with support in foodstuffs of around 2120 tons that benefited more than 778,867 families", he stated.
The drought recorded between the months of September 2020 and February 2021, affected crops and caused the death of animals, mainly in the Center and South of the country, estimated to have directly affected around 945,244 peasant families.
João Lourenço also spoke about the programs that the executive has developed to reduce poverty, such as Kwenda, whose implementation has so far allowed the registration of 414,285 households out of a total of 1,608,000 families, who receive a quarterly income of 25,500 Kwanzas per family ( 36 euros).
