Kalonzo on HIV

Stopping the spread of HIV/Aids, eradicating malaria and combating water borne diseases are the challenges which Africa must over come in order to achieve sustainable health promotion, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has said.

Mr. Musyoka said there is need for concerted efforts amongst African countries on health issues if the Millennium Development Goals on the sector is to be achieved.

The VP observed that basic elements of good health such as nutrition, water, a clean environment and access to healthcare in the continent, were below the required standards.

He said the situation demands proper re-prioritization and multi-lateral investment in promotion of strategies aimed at improvement of the health sector in Africa.

"For nations to progress, individuals and communities must make health a priority in all development choice they make. Increased health literacy and empowerment of communities depends on support from health programmes and on the environment created by healthy public policies", VP noted.

The VP was speaking at KICC where he officially closed the one-week Global Conference on Health promotion.

The conference brought together stakeholders in health promotion to deliberate on the challenges that affect them globally, particularly in the middle and low income countries.

It also discussed, identified and adopted the ‘Nairobi Call-to-Action' a strategy aimed at closing the implementation gaps in health promotion.

The Conference addressed five critical issues that included empowerment of individual, strengthening of community actions, re-orientation of health services advancement of partnership and inter-sectorial collaboration among other issues.

Mr. Musyoka at the same time said there is urgent need for African states to formulate and implement sustainable National Health Insurance Programmes that incorporate health promotion as key component.

He noted that the Nairobi Call-to-Action requires that governments, organizations, communities and individuals join hands in ensuring implementation of the strategies identified during the conference.

To this end, the Vice President called on governments, civil society, development partners and health service providers to demonstrate their commitment to health for all by addressing health challenges that continue to impact negatively on health development in the continent.

Mr. Musyoka who is also the minister for Home Affairs said Kenya will play its part in collaboration with development partners and stakeholders in health sector in coming up with proper programmes and strategies with a view to integrating national health promotion.

"We shall review our current policies and programmes with a view to integrating health promotion. I also look forward to the development of national health promotion strategy by our Ministry of Public Health", VP said.

Public Health and Sanitation minister Beth Mugo said the benefits derived from the conference should go a long way in alleviating the suffering of communities from causes of ill health especially the preventable ones.

Earlier the Vice President received the out-going Turkish ambassador Salim Levent Sahinkaya who assured the VP of Turkey support to the government's effort to implement necessary governance reforms.

The Vice President commended the out-going envoy for helping strengthen relations between the two countries, noting that during Mr. Sahinkaya's tour of duty, Turkish President Abdullah Gul visited Kenya.

"It was during your tenure too that Turkey hosted the highly successful 1st Turkey-African Summit" Mr. Musyoka noted.