Story by Abigirl Tembo, Health Editor
Vice President General Retired Dr. Constantino Chiwenga has been invited to attend the second edition of the Africa Health Excon in Egypt where he is expected to use the platform to create synergies with other African countries as Zimbabwe moves towards achieving universal health coverage.
The exhibition, which will take place from the 6th to the 9th of June is considered the largest medical conference and exhibition in Africa, bringing together leading manufacturers of medical consumables and specialists.
The conference comes at a time when Zimbabwe is realigning its health sector in line with international standards with the conference expected to provide a platform for Zimbabwe to take notes from other African countries in terms of medical advancements.
“The importance of this exhibition is that it brings all manufacturers, buyers, sellers, end users of equipment under one roof. So, they can see all the developments or technical advancements that are taking place in the medical field. It brings together medical specialists and they discuss the latest developments that are taking place in the medical field. At the moment we are preparing for the Vice President to come, we are expecting him to arrive on the 5th (Monday) and we are busy making preparations to receive him. So far everything is going on as per plan and we are all waiting for his arrival,” said Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Egypt, Air Marshal (Rtd) Shebba Shumbayawonda.
Zimbabwe and Egypt enjoy cordial relations on many fronts.
“Our relations are quite good, not only in the health sector. I will start with the political relations which are quite good and they started well before our independence, if I may say that even the President himself was trained here in 1963 and a lot of other cadres have been trained here. Egypt also continues to assist us in various fields when we had Cyclone Idai Egypt assisted us. During the Covid era when it broke out Egypt actually sent a consignment of protective clothing to assist in trying to combat the effects of COVID-19,” he added.
Last month Zimbabwe and Egypt signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at enhancing the safety and efficacy of medicines in the two countries and promote the development of the pharmaceutical industries with the expo expected to open up further areas of cooperation.
The Health Excon which is in its second year running is scheduled to be opened by the president of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
