Luanda — At least 38,000 health professionals are expected to be trained up to 2027, as part of the emergency training plan outlined by the Angolan government, the Health Ministry (MINSA) announced Monday, ANGOP has learnt.
The training will cover all careers and different levels of education.
In the statement issued as part of the Health Workers’ Day marked on September 25, MINSA reaffirmed its commitment to improve the performance of health units at primary and secondary levels, primary health care and to increase universal care coverage.
The aim is to ensure that medical care and medicines are provided closer to people’s homes, MINSA said.
The Health Ministry, the statement says, reassures its commitment to materialize health promotion and disease prevention programmes, which will culminate in the reinforcement of work, with other ministerial departments to balance the social determinants of health.
It pledges to continue working on the betterment of the logistics medicines chain supply, supplements, medical equipment and reagents, improve the training of each employee, professional satisfaction and personal achievement.
According to MINSA, the government will carry on with its recruiting strategy for more professionals to join the sector in line with the country’s economic and financial conditions.
The statement highlighted the spirit of commitment and resilience demonstrated over the last 12 months, on the “front line of the battle for the health of all Angolans”, and expressed concern about the impact of HIV/AIDS and the trauma caused by road accidents.
Official figures show that the national health network has around 100,000 professionals to provide health assistance to more than 30 million inhabitants.
Data shows that roughly 28,000 doctors are needed to reach the ratio recommended by the World Health Organization (one doctor for every 1,000 inhabitants); however the country currently has only 8,000.
The National Health System currently has nearly 2,000 health units, including eight central hospitals, 32 provincial or general hospitals, 228 municipal hospitals and health centers and 1,453 health posts.SJ/OHA/AMP