African Union launches ‘Saving Lives Against Covid-19’ campaign
Meeting on Tuesday, online, the ministers of health and transport of the African Union Commission for Social Affairs, Infrastructure and Energy analyzed the assumptions of the “Saving Lives, Economies and Livelihoods” campaign, to be operationalized in the continent at this stage of the pandemic.
At this meeting, Angola was represented by the Ministers of Transport, Ricardo D’Abreu, and of Health, Sílvia Lutucuta, according to a note from the Transport sector to which Angop had access.
The joint virtual ministerial meeting sought to obtain, among concrete results, a harmonized approach in outlining the coordination of the opening of borders (sea, air and land), recommendations on joint response initiatives, including global secure connectivity through facilitation of regional, maritime and logistical corridors, the restart and recovery of the African air transport sector, secure urban mobility and improved access to livelihoods in rural economies
Recommendations
Ministers recommended improving surveillance against Covid-19 and sharing data, mechanisms, processes and technological applications, on sharing data in inter and intra-economic regions.
They also recommended that a coordinated approach be taken to develop test programs in schools and to travel within the continent, to leverage school health programs, using the Initiative’s “PACT” approach for community risk assessment and management.
The joint virtual ministerial meeting is the result of a consultation process that has been underway since the beginning of this year 2020.
It takes place following the increase in globally confirmed Covid-19 cases and its rapid expansion is in response to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission who convened an emergency meeting of AU Health Ministers on 22 February , in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
In Angola, until August 18, 2020, 1,966 cases were registered, with 90 deaths, 667 recovered and 1209 active.
Of these assets, 1133 (93.7%) are asymptomatic.
There is a National Contingency Plan to Respond to Covid-19 and a Multisectoral Commission for Pandemic Management.
The Angolan State is investing in infrastructures to deal with the cases of Covid-19 (about 7000 hospital beds and 1000 fans), biosafety material and medicines.
There are, in the same way, continuous training actions for Health professionals and beyond.
