The 72nd East, Central and Southern Africa Health Ministers meeting was successfully held on Friday 19, 2023, in Geneva, Switzerland, with a strong focus on fostering regional cooperation and promoting advancements in healthcare.
Under the capable leadership of the Kenya Cabinet Secretary for Health, Nakhumicha S. Wafula, the Chairperson of ECSA-HC, the meeting convened representatives from member states to discuss and address key health challenges facing the region.
ECSA-HC, an inter-governmental health organization, comprises nine member states including Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Eswatini, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Established in 1974, ECSA-HC’s core objective is to strengthen regional cooperation and capacity to effectively address the diverse health needs of its member states.
In addition to its member states, ECSA-HC extends its activities to other African countries grappling with similar health challenges. The organization also provides support to non-member states, such as Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Eritrea, Gabon, Liberia, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Sudan, Sudan, and Somalia.
The ECSA Health Community collaborates closely with countries and partners to elevate the standard of healthcare across the region. By promoting efficiency, effectiveness, research, capacity building, policy development, and advocacy, ECSA-HC strives to enhance the well-being of the people in the ECSA region.
According to CS Nakhumicha ECSA aims to facilitate HRH (Human Resource for Health) capacity building in member states; to coordinate the HSS in member states towards attainment of UHC, to facilitate the development of MS capacity for implementation of RMNCAH and Promote the reduction of communicable, NCDs, chronic conditions, injuries and all forms of malnutrition.
The organization also aims to coordinate the knowledge generation, management and utilization and foster regional health policy agenda, strategic partnerships and collaboration towards achievement of international commitments including SDGs.
Source: Ministry of Health, Kenya
