Zimbabwe Opens Regional Public Health Institutes M...

Zimbabwe Opens Regional Public Health Institutes Meeting

Rutendo Mazhindu - ZimNow Reporter

The 4th Annual Regional National Public Health Institute (NPHI) meeting for Southern Africa has officially opened in Harare, with health experts and government officials convening to strengthen public health systems across the continent.

Opening the conference at the Harare International Conference Center, Minister of Health and Child Care Douglas Mombeshora said NPHIs are central to disease surveillance, outbreak response, diagnostics, research, and workforce development.

“NPHIs serve as the scientific backbone for evidence-based health policies and strategies, enabling timely and effective public health interventions,” said Dr Mombeshora.

“A well functioning NPHI is a cornerstone for national and regional health security and resilience.”

The conference, which runs until June 27, is themed “Strengthened Information, Knowledge Sharing, and Peer-to-Peer Mentorship.”

It brings together representatives from African Union Member States, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Africa CDC Regional Director Dr Lul Riek said the region must build resilient systems to manage current and future public health threats.

“Africa’s health future won’t be imported from elsewhere; it will be crafted right here, by African leaders, for African people,” said Dr Riek.

He cited the COVID-19, Mpox, and Marburg outbreaks as reminders of the gaps in health infrastructure that need urgent attention.

Dr Talkmore Maruta, representing the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), said many countries are still behind in establishing functional NPHIs.

“A 2023 Africa CDC assessment found that 22 African countries have established NPHIs, with 18 fully functional. I hope in this meeting we will be given updates of a different picture a picture of more NPHIs,” said Dr Maruta.

“We are not safe until everyone is safe.”

The meeting is expected to generate practical strategies for strengthening national institutes, boosting collaboration among countries, and improving public health responses in the region.