M Tshabalala-Msimang: African Union Conference of Ministers of Health
Meeting

15 November 2007

Your Excellencies
My colleagues
Ministers of the Bureau
Your Excellency Commissioner of Social Affairs
Senior Officials of the Bureau and African Union (AU) Secretariat

Let me welcome you all to this important Bureau meeting. I hope that the
Commissioner rendered my apologies for the delay in joining you. I thank my
colleague the Minister of Gabon, and first deputy chairperson of CMAH3 for
chairing the first session of this meeting.

We, as the Bureau of CAMH3, are faced with the task of leading the process
of implementation of The Africa Health Strategy 2007 to 2015 which is a
historic action orientated document. The persistent health challenges in the
Continent, require that we work together to overcome some of the bottlenecks
that prevent the successful implementation of the many good strategies.

The Africa Health Strategy, although not a panacea to all Africa's problems,
seeks to address some of these bottlenecks and calls for strengthening of
health systems. In this regard it also re-enforces previously existing
programmes and strategies.

The Heads of State have endorsed this Strategy as well as the Johannesburg
Declaration of Commitment made by us Ministers at the CAMH3 conference in April
2007.They further mandated us to develop an implementation plan and then give
regular reports on progress of implementation of the priority areas that
are  incorporated in the strategy and other related documents.

It is for this reason that during the first meeting of the Bureau in May
2007 and the Special Bureau meeting of August 2007 a Business plan of the
Bureau and The Framework for Implementation of the Africa Health Strategy,
respectively, were developed with your support. The Officials were further
tasked, among other tasks, with development of the Draft Plan of Implementation
of the Africa Health Strategy which we have come to consider here.

It is hoped that the priorities as reflected in the Johannesburg
Declaration, the Strategy itself and other related documents have been
reflected. When this draft plan is approved by the Bureau, it will then be
presented to the Meeting of the Ministers of Health in Geneva in May 2008 for
approval and implementation.

Implementation will be anchored at national level where it is anticipated
national programmes will be harmonised and aligned with issues raised in the
Strategy. The role of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) cannot be
overemphasised and it is hoped that we, as members of the Bureau will be
actively involved in advocacy and promoting harmonisation of regional health
strategies with this continental one as well as strengthening of implementation
at regional levels and national level.

The African Union will need to be strengthened so that it monitors progress
of implementation of this strategy and facilitates the work of this sector by
networking with other stakeholders and development partners like the United
Nations Agencies to support this African Health Agenda with their expertise. In
this regard I also appeal to Member States to support the African Union
Secretariat and for the Secretariat to utilise that support to enhance the work
of the Sector in the Continent.

Adequate resources are critical for the goals that have been set to be
achieved. The issue of human resources continues to be a very challenging ones
and I believe that as a continent we need to implement some of the
interventions that we have been discussing including training of mid-level
workers, increasing enrolment in health sector training colleges and
universities, improving incentives including improving conditions of service.
We may need to consider the health professionals that are in the Diaspora.
Drawing Memoranda of Understanding for ethical recruitment with the recruiting
developing countries may benefit and help limit the brain drain that is going
on.

Concerning financial resources, there has to be a vigorous mobilisation of
resources and for support of partners on specific areas of implementation. The
difficulty in drawing up a budget for this implementation plan because the
implementers are at three levels; African Union Continentally, RECs and Member
State level should not deter the implementation.

As we consider this plan for Implementation, I suggest that we start
identifying areas that are priority of priorities so that we can immediately
progress to strengthening implementation and move toward not only achieving the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) but improve health for all for the
development of Africa. Looking at the principles, it is noteworthy that the
primary healthcare approach is still the considered as the most effective
approach. Let it be strengthened.

Let me thank the African Union Commissioner, the secretariat and the
officials of the Bureau for the preparatory work done and wish this Bureau
fruitful deliberation.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Health
15 November 2007
Source: Department of Health (http://www.doh.gov.za)