Date: 08/12/2005
Source: Department of Health
Title: Tshabalala-Msimang: Signing of health agreement with Mozambique
Speech by the Minister of Health, Dr ME Tshabalala-Msimang, during the signing of the agreement on Health Matters between the South Africa and Mozambique, Tonga District Hospital , Mpumalanga Province
Honourable Dr Paulo Garrido, the Minister of Health of Mozambique, and your delegation,
My colleague MEC for Health in Mpumalanga province,
Distinguished Guests,
Members of the community,
It is my pleasure to be with you this morning in the beautiful province of Mpumalanga. I would like to extend a warm welcome to the Minister of Health of Mozambique, Hon Dr Paulo Ivo Garrido, and his delegation to South Africa. Our respective Presidents, President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and President Armando Emilio Guebuza of Mozambique, have committed all of us to work toward consolidating political, economic and social relations between our two countries.
Co-operation between Mozambique and South Africa is a continuation of long intertwined history of our nations rooted in a revolutionary struggle against colonialism and apartheid in our countries and the rest of Southern Africa. In this period of freedom and democracy, we are working hand in hand in a new struggle for socio-economic development of our respective countries. Trade between the two countries is on the increase, with 57% of Mozambique's imports emanating from South Africa and about 26.2% of Mozambique exports are destined for South Africa.
Today, we are consolidating our relationship even further by signing an agreement that should guide our joint efforts in strengthening our health systems to ensure that we able to effectively respond adequately to the high burden of disease facing our regions. The Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative is the best example of the great outcomes we can achieve if we work together in addressing the various challenges facing our populations. In 1999, Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland launched the Malaria Control Component of the Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative. This Project has been very successful indeed. Through mainly the indoor residual spraying using DDT and effective malaria drug usage, we have managed to decrease malaria transmission in Mozambique (Maputo province) and in South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal province) by more than 90% and in Swaziland by more than 70% compared to the year 2000 baseline surveys.
It is therefore very exciting for us that the Agreement on Health between our respective countries has been concluded and should extend the scope of our cooperation to other areas of mutual interest. Through this Agreement, our respective countries will be able to collaborate in areas such as surveillance, control and management of communicable and non-communicable diseases, human resources planning and development and patient referral systems.
The Agreement, among other things calls for a co-ordinated patient referral system between the two countries. This proposal takes into consideration the movement of people across our borders. Patients referred to South Africa by the Republic of Mozambique will be treated in public hospitals. Mozambique undertakes to bear all costs with regard to treatment and hospitalisation of patients, including travelling and accommodation expenses. This Agreement further calls for joint surveillance, control and management of communicable and non-communicable diseases. We need to work together in strengthening our immunisation programme to ensure that all our children are protected from vaccine preventable diseases. Immunisation is critical for eradication of diseases such as polio and measles.
We further commit to:
* The exchange of health professionals for purposes of sharing new techniques and technologies, including training and education programmes
* Exchange and dissemination of information on health issues
* Create partnerships between our health institutions and organisations
* Exchange in biomedical and health system research
* Exchange information and share experience in human resources management in the context of decentralisation to local facilities.
From a regional perspective, the signing of this Agreement is our recommitment to the consolidation of the African Agenda. This Agreement further supports the implementation of the Southern African Developing Community (SADC) Protocol on Health and the African Union’s New Partnership for Africa’s Development. The signing of this Agreement coincides with the “16 Days of Activism Against Women and Children Abuse” Campaign in South Africa. I would therefore like to take this opportunity and call upon all of us gathered here to join hands in stopping the abuse of women and children. Real men do not abuse women and children.
I would like to thank our officials for the work done in preparing this Agreement. I would like to urge them to develop an implementation plan that will ensure that this agreement is effectively implemented to the benefit of both countries.
The signing of this Agreement is a significant step in the realisation of the goals of our respective Presidents – the development and social upliftment through collaboration amongst African states.
Thank you.
Issued by: Department of Health
8 December 2005
Source: Department of Health
Title: Tshabalala-Msimang: Signing of health agreement with Mozambique
Speech by the Minister of Health, Dr ME Tshabalala-Msimang, during the signing of the agreement on Health Matters between the South Africa and Mozambique, Tonga District Hospital , Mpumalanga Province
Honourable Dr Paulo Garrido, the Minister of Health of Mozambique, and your delegation,
My colleague MEC for Health in Mpumalanga province,
Distinguished Guests,
Members of the community,
It is my pleasure to be with you this morning in the beautiful province of Mpumalanga. I would like to extend a warm welcome to the Minister of Health of Mozambique, Hon Dr Paulo Ivo Garrido, and his delegation to South Africa. Our respective Presidents, President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and President Armando Emilio Guebuza of Mozambique, have committed all of us to work toward consolidating political, economic and social relations between our two countries.
Co-operation between Mozambique and South Africa is a continuation of long intertwined history of our nations rooted in a revolutionary struggle against colonialism and apartheid in our countries and the rest of Southern Africa. In this period of freedom and democracy, we are working hand in hand in a new struggle for socio-economic development of our respective countries. Trade between the two countries is on the increase, with 57% of Mozambique's imports emanating from South Africa and about 26.2% of Mozambique exports are destined for South Africa.
Today, we are consolidating our relationship even further by signing an agreement that should guide our joint efforts in strengthening our health systems to ensure that we able to effectively respond adequately to the high burden of disease facing our regions. The Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative is the best example of the great outcomes we can achieve if we work together in addressing the various challenges facing our populations. In 1999, Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland launched the Malaria Control Component of the Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative. This Project has been very successful indeed. Through mainly the indoor residual spraying using DDT and effective malaria drug usage, we have managed to decrease malaria transmission in Mozambique (Maputo province) and in South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal province) by more than 90% and in Swaziland by more than 70% compared to the year 2000 baseline surveys.
It is therefore very exciting for us that the Agreement on Health between our respective countries has been concluded and should extend the scope of our cooperation to other areas of mutual interest. Through this Agreement, our respective countries will be able to collaborate in areas such as surveillance, control and management of communicable and non-communicable diseases, human resources planning and development and patient referral systems.
The Agreement, among other things calls for a co-ordinated patient referral system between the two countries. This proposal takes into consideration the movement of people across our borders. Patients referred to South Africa by the Republic of Mozambique will be treated in public hospitals. Mozambique undertakes to bear all costs with regard to treatment and hospitalisation of patients, including travelling and accommodation expenses. This Agreement further calls for joint surveillance, control and management of communicable and non-communicable diseases. We need to work together in strengthening our immunisation programme to ensure that all our children are protected from vaccine preventable diseases. Immunisation is critical for eradication of diseases such as polio and measles.
We further commit to:
* The exchange of health professionals for purposes of sharing new techniques and technologies, including training and education programmes
* Exchange and dissemination of information on health issues
* Create partnerships between our health institutions and organisations
* Exchange in biomedical and health system research
* Exchange information and share experience in human resources management in the context of decentralisation to local facilities.
From a regional perspective, the signing of this Agreement is our recommitment to the consolidation of the African Agenda. This Agreement further supports the implementation of the Southern African Developing Community (SADC) Protocol on Health and the African Union’s New Partnership for Africa’s Development. The signing of this Agreement coincides with the “16 Days of Activism Against Women and Children Abuse” Campaign in South Africa. I would therefore like to take this opportunity and call upon all of us gathered here to join hands in stopping the abuse of women and children. Real men do not abuse women and children.
I would like to thank our officials for the work done in preparing this Agreement. I would like to urge them to develop an implementation plan that will ensure that this agreement is effectively implemented to the benefit of both countries.
The signing of this Agreement is a significant step in the realisation of the goals of our respective Presidents – the development and social upliftment through collaboration amongst African states.
Thank you.
Issued by: Department of Health
8 December 2005
Advertisement
EMAIL THIS ARTICLE SAVE THIS ARTICLE FEEDBACK
To subscribe email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or click here
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
