05.02.10
Vice-President opens health forum for SADC ministers
When opening the joint meeting for health, HIV and Aids ministers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region at the International Conference Centre, Seychelles’ Vice-President Joseph Belmont said: “All the human and material resources that we have must be deployed not just to fight, but to fight and win the war on the many diseases affecting the southern African region”.
The official opening ceremony of the 2-day forum was attended by the presence of the National Assembly Speaker Patrick Herminie, the SADC chairperson Dr Victor Makwenge-Kaput, who is also the Democratic Republic of Congo Health Minister, the Seychelles Minister for Health and Social Development Marie-Pierre Lloyd and diplomatic members.
Belmont said that the Southern African region has become peaceful, war-region free, however, yet there is a relentless war with many diseases and socio-economic scourges that trouble the progress. The meeting was aimed at strengthening the health systems and addressing the social determinants of health.