ZAMBIA’S HEALTH MINISTER KAPEMBWA SIMBAO SAYS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL HEALTH REGULATIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS IS CRITICAL TO THE PREVENTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPREAD OF DISEASE

ZAMBIA’S HEALTH MINISTER KAPEMBWA SIMBAO SAYS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL HEALTH REGULATIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS IS CRITICAL TO THE PREVENTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPREAD OF DISEASE.

MR. SIMBAO SAYS EACH STATES MUST TAKE A FIRM COMMITMENT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE REGULATIONS AS GOVERNMENTS HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO BUILD, STRENGTHEN AND MAINTAIN THE NECESSARY CAPACITIES REQUIRED FOR AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS AND PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES OF AN INTERNATIONAL CONCERN.

HE ADDS THAT STRENGTHENING OF SURVEILLANCE AND RESPONSE ACTIVITIES IN RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES MUST NOT OVERLOOK THE BORDER AREAS HENCE THE NEED FOR A DELIBERATE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES TO DISEASE SURVEILLANCE CONTROL AND PREVENTION .

SPEAKING DURING THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF INTER-COUNTRY COLLABORATIVE MEETING ON CROSS-BORDER PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES IN LUSAKA TODAY, MR. SIMBAO NOTED THAT THE FREE MOVEMENT ALONG THE BORDERS FACILITATES THE TRANSMISSION OF DISEASES ACROSS BORDERS. HE HAS EXPLAINED THAT COUNTRIES IN THE SUB-REGION HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN CONTROL AND PREVENTION OF EPIDEMICS BUT MORE MUST BE DONE.

AND SPEAKING EARLIER UNITED NATIONS RESIDENT COORDINATOR KANNI WIGNARAJA SAID SIGNIFICANT RAMPED UP CROSS BORDER COORDINATION EFFORTS ARE REQUIRED TO STOP THE SPREAD OF EPIDEMICS, AND THE ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES THAT HELP THEM SPREAD LIKE WILD FIRE, INCLUDING CIRCULATION OF COUNTERFEIT MEDICINES.

SHE ADDS THAT THERE IS NEED FOR COLLECTIVE POLITICAL WILL, INCREASED INVESTMENTS, CAPACITY STRENGTHENING AND COORDINATED POLICIES AND ACTIONS AMONG THE COUNTRIES IF THEY ARE TO PREVAIL IN ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES WITH FULL FORCE.

AND WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION AFRICA REGIONAL DIRECTOR DR LUIS SAMBO SAID MOST COUNTRIES IN THE REGION ARE ON TRACK TO REACH THE 2015 TARGETS TOWARDS REDUCTION OF CHILD MORTALITY OR REDUCTION OF MATERNAL MORTALITY.

THE INTER-COUNTRY COLLABORATIVE MEETING ON CROSS-BORDER PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES HAS DRAWN PARTICIPANTS FROM ANGOLA, CONGO, NAMIBIA, MALAWI, CONGO DR, AND THE HOST NATION ZAMBIA.

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