Luanda: Angolan president Joo Louren§o on Wednesday highlighted that thanks to the implementation of immediate measures by the government and partners to combat cholera, improvements have already begun to be seen in several provinces.
According to Angola Press News Agency, Louren§o mentioned that the efforts are starting to yield concrete results, effectively saving lives. He made these remarks during an Emergency Presidential Meeting on the cholera situation in Africa, which was conducted virtually, initiated by Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, the African Union’s champion for cholera.
Louren§o reported a new outbreak in Angola since the beginning of this year, with 24,536 cases and 718 deaths as of June 2, resulting in a fatality rate of 2.9%. To prevent future outbreaks, he emphasized Angola’s commitment to developing national capacities for producing medicines and vaccines, aiming to meet both domestic and continental needs and bolster Africa’s health security.
He stated that local production is a strategic priority, representing an opportunity for diversification and economic growth. This investment signifies a commitment to promoting Africa’s health and economic self-sufficiency.
Louren§o urged African leaders to assume control of the continent’s health solutions by investing in the capacity to produce vaccines, medicines, and essential medical equipment. He stressed that continental solidarity should translate into concrete actions.
To ensure a sustainable response to this and future crises, he underscored the importance of locating the production of medicines and vaccines on the continent. He warned that reliance on external imports limits response capabilities and compromises health sovereignty.
The President of the African Union expressed his hope that the meeting would mark a collective commitment to securing a future of dignity, health, and prosperity for all. The meeting also included the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Ethiopian Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and covered the cholera outbreak affecting many African countries, notably Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Angola.
Various heads of state, including F©lix Tshisekedi of the DRC, Netumbo Ndaitwah of Namibia, John Dramani of Ghana, and Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi, acknowledged that the resurgence of cholera as an epidemic in Africa is due to decades of underinvestment in health, water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure. They agreed that the continent should not accept cholera as normal.
The leaders emphasized the necessity for Africa to equip itself with the capacity for local production of vaccines and essential supplies, asserting that reliance on external aid is no longer tenable.