We can build a better Africa – Binagwaho

KIGALI - The Minister of Health, Dr Agnes Binagwaho has called on African health expert to commit themselves to making Africa a desired continent. She made the remarks while closing the three-day high level Global Fund meeting which brought together participants from the West, Central and East African regions. “We should be eager to represent our countries’ needs once we attend Global Fund board meetings. Let us together utilize the resources for the intended goal which is to improve health in our respective countries,” she said. “Once we allow ourselves to be part of the process, we will be able to transform Africa into the desired continent, where our own citizens prefer to stay and work, rather than running off to other continents”. The minister said that Africa is the only place in the world with the heaviest burden of disease adding that this should be the key reason why nations should consolidate efforts in utilizing Global Fund resources to improve health for the people. Binagwaho also noted that about 40 percent of the Global Fund resources are sent to this region, urging regional countries to have a uniform implementation pace of the resources. She emphasized that if one country misuses resources, then others get equally affected. The minister challenged participants to use the skills attained in the conference as a basis to improve performance where it lacks, and as a result, African countries will attain Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the planned time frame. Rwanda is ranked high among African countries likely to achieve the MDGs by 2015. During the meeting, the Regional Team Leader, Linden Morrison, said that countries like Rwanda have shown successful programmes because implementation is backed by good leadership which starts at the top. He added that there was need for collective accountability and sustainability adding that the discussions held in the past few days will enable countries to prepare adequate risk management plans for better utilization of resources. Ends

National

We can build a better Africa – Binagwaho