Luanda — On Monday in Luanda, Angola and Mozambique agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the health sector by sharing experiences regarding human resource training and the strengthening of their national health systems.

On the sidelines of the "National Workshop on Health Communication," the Angolan delegation--led by Minister Sílvia Lutucuta--and the Mozambican delegation--led by Naftal Matusse, the Ministry of Health's Deputy National Director for Training--met to discuss the Angolan model for training health professionals.

Speaking on the occasion, Sílvia Lutucuta stated that strengthening national health systems requires valuing internal capabilities and ensuring national institutions take the lead in project implementation.

According to the minister, Angola has opted for a model based on utilizing national personnel, thereby reducing reliance on international consultants and bolstering the Ministry of Health's technical capacity to coordinate and implement sector reforms.

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The minister noted that the Human Resource Training Project for Universal Health Coverage aims to train approximately 38,000 professionals--including doctors, nurses, technicians, and managers--by 2028; of these, around 19,000 have already undergone training or are currently pursuing specialization.

She added that approximately 80% of the training takes place within Angola, which helps reduce costs, expand training opportunities, and strengthen national education and specialization institutions.

"International training, conducted in partner countries such as Brazil, Portugal, and Cuba, is reserved for highly specialized fields," she stated.

He noted that the program also focuses on decentralizing training by establishing training hubs and strengthening municipal capabilities, prioritizing areas such as General and Family Medicine, Community Health, Medical Emergencies, Intensive Care, Dermatology, Medical-Surgical Nursing, and Basic Surgery.

Naftal Matusse expressed particular interest in the Angolan experience regarding General and Family Medicine and the training of surgical technicians, viewing it as a model with great potential for adaptation to the context in Mozambique.

He added that the mission aims to gain deeper insight into the organization and implementation of the Angolan project with a view to establishing a similar program in his own country, prioritizing the training of specialists domestically.

The Mozambican mission's agenda includes visits to the National Institute of Health Research, the Central Unit for the Procurement and Supply of Medicines and Medical Supplies, as well as hospitals and other institutions within the National Health System.

Strengthened cooperation between Angola and Mozambique demonstrates both countries' commitment to sharing experiences, valuing human resources, and building health systems that are more resilient, sustainable, and capable of meeting the challenges of universal health coverage. MEL/VIC/DOJ