26 trained as responders to epidemics, health emergencies
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MBABANE – Eswatini has finally joined other nations in producing highly-trained emergency responders under the African Health Volunteers Corps (AVoHC) programme.
AVoHC is a network of African volunteer medical and public health professionals established by the African Union (AU) to support emergency response to disease outbreaks in Africa.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony of the first batch of 26 highly-trained emergency responders at the United Nations (UN) offices yesterday, Minister of Health Mduduzi Matsebula was full of praise for the graduates.
The training programme was funded by World Bank with E6 million and supported by government through the Ministry of Health.
The minister noted that these ready-for-deployment multidisciplinary experts would be deployed nationally and internationally to respond to epidemics and health emergencies like COVID-19, chorela and malaria to mention only a few.
He said there was no doubt that Eswatini was gaining an equipped human resource that adds to its prepadness for global and national epidemics and health emergencies.
“I have been briefed that the Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDS’s) AVocHC training links with WHO’s initiative titled Strengthening and Utilisation Response Groups for Emergencies. The AVoHC-Surge training aims to empower African countries to be prepared to respond to health emergencies and humanitarian crisis within 24 to 48 hours from the time of the first accident,” Matsebula said when addressing the invited guests during the event.
He noted proudly that Eswatini was among the 17 countries to have benefited from the initiative, emphasising the importance of the country being ready
to respond to health emergencies, in line with the global call for strong resilient healthcare services.
Matsebula said this was another giant step towards achieving the ministry’s goal and also a reflection of their commitment to taking the ‘Nkwe’ approach in improving public healthcare.
The minister pointed out that the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted pre-existing challenges and weaknesses facing health emergency preparedness and response and health security in African countries.
Proud
“With less than 10 per cent of countries in the African region that have optimal and sustainable human resources to prepare for, detect, and respond to public health risks and emergencies, the region suffers the most when epidemics hit. Therefore, we are proud to be among countries that have trained frontline responders at their disposal,” he said.
Minister Matsebula then reminded the trained responders that having completed the training, it meant that they were now part of the ‘Nkwe’ team.
He said the country, Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region and Africa will look to them to provide quick responses to pandemic and health emergencies when the need arises.
“May I take this time to invite
other healthcare workers to grab the opportunity to gain such knowledge and skills when it comes to knocking. The country’s public healthcare will be stronger and more resilient when we hit the target of 100 trained experts,” he said.
In closing, the minister thanked Africa CDC for leading the way towards making the continent better prepared and able to respond to epidemics and health emergencies. He further applauded WHO for leadership in developing policies that guide the health sector in countries, setting global standards.
Matsebula could not leave out the World Bank for committing funds towards improving public healthcare services in Eswatini.