By Haruna Gimba
Ahead of the Meeting of the African Union (AU) Summit in Kigali this month, Member State Experts meeting in Ndjamena, Chad, last week deliberated on the key fast track actions to end AIDS, TB and Malaria by 2030.
The meeting follows the adoption of the Africa Health Strategy and the Catalytic Framework to End AIDS, TB and Eliminate Malaria in Africa by 2030. The meeting deliberated on the AIDS Watch Africa Progress Report for consideration by Africa’s Heads of State and Government.
The Chad Republic Minister of Health, Assane Ngueadoum, said AIDS, TB and Malaria remain key challenges for the development of African continent.
“The Africa Health Strategy and the Catalytic framework to end AIDS, TB and Eliminate Malaria by 2030 provides a clear policy direction for the continent. Our countries should continue on the path set by the Abuja Declaration to increase the budget allocated to health,” he said.
Our correspondent gathered that the meeting briefed the experts on Africa’s new health policy architecture that will be endorsed by the Kigali Summit.
The revised African Health Strategy provides the overarching superstructure to address Africa’s broad health and development agenda in the next 15 years. To strengthen health systems the strategy addresses issues related to health financing, governance and improved multi-sectoral partnerships.
The framework also refocuses service delivery, community empowerment and seeks to expand social protection to address equity. The blueprint also prioritises human resources for health, commodity security, regulatory and support environment for provision of quality medicines and technologies, disease surveillance and disaster management.
“We set the tone in Abuja to end AIDS, TB and Malaria by 2030. The Catalytic Framework adopted by Ministers of Health provides a roadmap to achieve this. Now we have the task of proper implementation,” Director for Social Affairs of the African Union Commission, Ambassador Olawale Maiyegun, said.
Health Reporters learnt that the Catalytic Framework provides a business model for investing for impact to end AIDS, TB and Eliminate Malaria in Africa by 2030. The framework focusses on three strategic investment areas, each with clear catalytic actions.
Africa Scorecard as a tool for financial planning and health sector performance monitoring. According to various estimates, countries should spend between $75 and $100 per person on health.
