Windhoek: Minister of Health and Social Services, Esperance Luvindao, has called for stronger regional cooperation and a borderless approach to health security, as countries in southern Africa seek to strengthen their preparedness and response to public health threats.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Luvindao made the call on Thursday during the official opening of the 5th Regional Ministerial Steering Committee (ReSCO) meeting, convened by the Africa Centres for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention. "Outbreaks do not know borders. It is only countries that know borders," Luvindao said, emphasizing the need for countries to avoid allowing national boundaries to limit cooperation in responding to health emergencies.
Luvindao further stated, "Health care leadership cannot know borders, because when health care leadership knows borders, we get ourselves in situations where we put the lives of Africans at risk." The three-day high-level meeting, which began on Wednesday, brings together health ministers, senior government officials, technical experts, and development partners from across Southern Africa.
The event also saw the attendance of World Health Organisation Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and Africa CDC Director-General, Jean Kaseya. Luvindao highlighted that the presence of several health ministers underscored the importance African countries place on healthcare and their shared responsibility to protect public health.
ReSCO, she noted, should strengthen national public health responses, enhance cross-border disease surveillance, and accelerate regional strategies for the local manufacturing of medicines and other health products. Luvindao argued that Africa should reduce its reliance on external suppliers, asserting that the continent has the capacity to produce what its populations need.
"African health care must be self-sufficient. And African health care must be able to provide quality health care for every single African, irrespective of which country they come from," she stated. As vice-chairperson of ReSCO, Luvindao urged delegates to approach the meeting with innovation and solidarity, ensuring that discussions result in practical outcomes.
"The people do not need us to have conversations and then produce documents so that we can pat ourselves on the back and say, yes, we had ReSCO. The people need tangible outcomes," she added. Luvindao concluded by stating that the meeting should set a new standard for quality healthcare and stronger health security across the southern African region.