WHO calls on Africa to increase investment in health systems

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday called on African governments to invest more into improving health systems in order to improve the quality of healthcare services.

WHO Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti, who was on a three- day visit to Zambia, told reporters that funding to healthy systems in Africa is still below the required threshold, adding that both national governments and cooperating partners should ensure that this is increased.

"Africa is facing challenges in dealing with communicable diseases and in recent years, we have seen the emergence of non- communicable diseases and this requires improved health care systems. But unfortunately, health care systems are still under- funded in many countries," she said.

The official further said there is need for African governments to put in place guidelines and policies that will embrace herbal medicines that could go a long way in supplementing conventional medicines in health care delivery.

The United Nations (UN) health agency, she said, has come up with guidelines which countries could use to embrace herbal medicines so that medicines are integrated in national health care delivery systems.

Meanwhile, the WHO has commitment itself to continue helping Zambia improve its health care delivery system.

The WHO official, who held meetings with senior officials from the Ministry of Health, said it was evident that Zambia was still facing challenges in improving health care delivery systems despite some progress made.

She said the two parties agreed to work on a partnership that will ensure universal healthcare coverage throughout the country by training more health care workers, ensuring sustained provision of medicines and building infrastructure.

"Zambia still has a big gap in health care delivery system and we agreed that we need to work together to improve the situation. The WHO is committed to help Zambia improve its health care system, " she said. Endi