On Thursday, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema urged African countries to develop homegrown solutions to address public health challenges rather than relying on external assistance.
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According to Hichilema, emphasizing the need for Africa to take a proactive approach and prepare in advance for potential health threats is of great importance.
He also stated that it is important to find solutions for the continent's healthcare needs. He pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic had exposed Africa's lack of readiness to tackle health challenges.
"I think the COVID-19 demonstrated to us that a pandemic like that can disrupt everything. While other parts of the world had access to vaccines, we could not. This underscores the importance of finding homegrown solutions, solutions that originate in Africa," he said during a meeting with a delegation from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), led by its director Jean Kaseya.
The Zambian president said that the Africa CDC should play a leading role in helping Africa find homegrown solutions, in collaboration with global partners that possess the necessary technology, financial resources and expertise.
Hichilema noted as well that it is time for Africa to reduce its reliance on imported pharmaceutical products and focus on promoting local manufacturing of medicines and medical supplies.
He commended the Africa CDC for its efforts in ensuring health security on the continent, particularly its work during the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic recovery.
In response, the Africa CDC director praised Hichilema for his commitment to promoting health in Zambia.