Zambian leader calls for strong health systems in Africa.

LUSAKA, April 28 — Zambian President Edgar Lungu on Tuesday called on African countries to build strong health systems to deal with disease outbreaks.
The Zambian leader said the creation of strong health systems will help the continent in dealing with diseases such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
In remarks delivered when he officially opened the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2021 Virtual Conference, the Zambian leader said training of health workers should be part of building strong health systems in Africa.
The Zambian leader, who is chairing the conference, added that his government has intensified the training of health workers as a key ingredient to national development.
“I believe that stronger political commitment, purposeful and strategic partnerships are key to improving health outcomes and the wellbeing of all people in the world, especially in Africa,” he said.
The conference, he said, will help stakeholders exploit partnership opportunities and introduce new frameworks for cooperation in the area of capacity building of healthcare workers.
Zambia’s First Lady Esther Lungu, the co-chair of the conference, thanked the Merck Foundation for its contribution to the improvement of the health sector in Africa.
Merck Foundation Chairman Frank Stangenberg said his organization has done well in providing specialized training to health workers.
The conference, which runs from April 27 to 29, is being attended by African First Ladies, Ministers of Health and other experts from about 70 countries. The conference’s main objective is to contribute to the social and economic development of Africa and Asia. Xinhua