AU, WHO vow to strengthen joint efforts on Africa's health

The African Union (AU) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have reiterated their commitment to strengthen cooperation in the framework of the collaboration agreement signed in 2012.

This came during a meeting between Amira Elfadil, AU Commissioner for Social Affairs, and Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, according to a statement from the pan-African bloc on Wednesday.

The two institutions work together in advocacy and technical support to the health sector in the AU member states.

Key priorities for the African continent include strengthening health systems, addressing health security, communicable and non-communicable diseases and supporting family and reproductive health.

"Strengthening Africa's health capacity in disease prevention, detection and rapid response to health threats are key priorities for building resilient health systems that are socially inclusive to drive the social-structural transformation path of Agenda 2063," said the AU Commissioner.

Addressing communicable diseases, which remain the largest cause of ill health in Africa and which account for the largest public health funding, is a key priority of AU and WHO, according to AU.

Among the top priorities are documentation, adoption and scaling-up of best practices, elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and the promotion of adolescent health and healthy ageing.

The two bodies will also continue to work towards the achievement of universal access to sexual and reproductive health and to immunization.

The AU and WHO are also working together to establish the Africa Medicines Agency that will strengthen regulatory harmonization and ensure increased access to safer and effective medical products. Endit