THE PRESIDENT OF ZIMBABWE
HIS EXCELLENCY, DR. E.D. MNANGAGWA
AT THE
HIGH LEVEL MEETING ON PANDEMIC PREVENTION, PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
20TH SEPTEMBER 2023
Your Excellences, the toll of HIV and COVID 19 pandemics continues to result in loss of human life, disruption to households and livelihoods while impacting negatively on economies and development.
Following the COVID 19 pandemic, Zimbabwe has made strides to build back stronger and more resilient health care systems that are able to identify and contain public health emergencies.
Our country is further strengthening Infection Prevention and Control Practices and integrating the interventions into emergency prevention, preparedness and response. We have also promoted the local manufacturing of health related commodities and consumables. A major development for Zimbabwe was the establishment of our own local oxygen gas manufacturing plant.
Your Excellencies;
Through the whole-of-government, whole-of-society, multi-stakeholder and multi-sectorial approach, Zimbabwe is on track to achieving the HIV 95-95-95 targets.
Globally, there is need to have collaborative surveillance and access to counter-measures and emergency coordination between and among countries. Zimbabwe continues to work with regional and global partners in public health emergencies and the implementation of International Health Regulations -2005, to limit the spread of health risks.
Your Excellences, I urge us to make bold decisions that respond to present realities, including the development of the Pandemic Treaty, drawing lessons learnt during the pandemics, faced so far.
Issues of the equitable distribution of resources to ensure equity in technologies like vaccines, personal protective equipment, information, expertise and access to health care for all people during pandemics need our honest consideration.
There is clearly a need for stronger action, governance, financing and health systems to protect the world from future pandemics. As Zimbabwe, my government has deliberately continued to increase budgetary allocations to health service delivery.
In conclusion, I implore us to remain alive to the importance of robust monitoring mechanisms for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response for breaking the recurring cycle of pandemic panic and neglect.
I thank you for your kind attention.
#UNGA78
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