The Southern African Development Community ((SADC) has asked SADC Member States to commit themselves in strengthening health systems and come up with solid emergency plans in case of outbreaks.
These remarks were made during a Southern African Development Community (SADC) Extra Ordinary Virtual Summit of Heads of State and Government on the Cholera situation in the SADC region and President Lazarus Chakwera has joined the virtual Summit from Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.
In his remarks, SADC Chairperson, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, indicated that the Cholera outbreak requires urgent regional approach to be dealt with as good health remains a human capital.
“SADC Member States should commit themselves in strengthening health systems, come up with solid emergency plans in case of outbreaks, have able human resource, strong early warning systems and surveillance,” he said.
Lourenço added the region needs innovation in the pharmaceutical sector and strengthen technological surveillance in all border posts.
He however highlighted that that unity in the region will help put any outbreak to an end, saying the region has in the recent past dealt with emergencies through collective efforts citing tropical cyclones and COVID 19.
In the Virtual Summit, President Lazarus Chakwera was joined by Malawi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nancy Tembo; Deputy Minister of Health, Halima Daud and other senior government officials.
