Luanda– The World Health Organisation (WHO) director for Africa, Luís Gomes Sambo, said Wednesday in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) that the new challenges currently  facing the world have to do with reinforcing the national health systems in order to detect and
mitigate the problems that occur in the sector.

 
According to a note that reached Angop on Wednesday, the WHO Africa director was addressing the 13rd World Congress on Public Health taking place from April 23-27 in Addis Ababa under the theme "Towards Global Health Equity: Opportunities and Threats.”

Luis Sambo recalled that the new challenges in the public health sector can also be associated with such factors as socio-economic, demographic, individual, collective human behaviour, condition of the environment and with the health systems and others.

 
According to the official, the developing countries, particularly those of Africa south of the Sahara, are faced with a double burden of the transmitted (responding for 63 percent of the deaths) and non-transmitted diseases.

 
He stressed that the populations’ health depends much on the provision of health care to patients.

The official also stated that the ongoing congress offers unique opportunities for a world, continental and national discussion of public health on the part of the world community and other interested parties.

 
To him, it is expected that the ongoing World Congress on Public Health makes decisions on matters and definitions on public health through debates based on epidemiological data and other elements resulting from research.

The general objectives of the congress are towards contributing and promoting public health at world, continental and national levels and creating a better understanding of Africa’s challenges within global public health.