Dr. Kaseba describes Global Business Coalition for Health meeting as successful

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FIRST Lady Dr Christine Kaseba has described the just ended Global Business Coalition for Health (GBCHealth) member meeting in South Africa as a success.

Dr Kaseba said the meeting allowed the showcasing of the country’s potential adding that it was also aimed at getting funders to get interested in what the country was doing concerning health issues.

She said she was happy that the country would see more of the Public Private Sector engagement and noted that the Chairperson of the Global Business Coalition for Health had promised to visit Zambia.

 

ZANIS reports that the First Lady said this in an interview in Johannesburg shortly before her departure,  today.

 

She hoped that the Global Business Coalition for Health would pull their resources together in helping the country.

 

Dr Kaseba said it was a pity that little was known about the Global Business Coalition for Health in Zambia but observed that the just ended meeting gave Zambia an opportunity to showcase what was on the ground adding that a demand has since been created.

 

The First Lady added that she was glad Zambia already had a policy on the Public Private Partnership.

 

”Zambia has done very well but we don’t share what we have done and it may be difficult for any funder to come to Zambia. We have so many good lessons and people do not know them but I’m glad Zambia already has a Public Private partnership in place,” she said.

Dr Kaseba said the Public Private Partnership would have a greater impact in that currently the private sector were engaged in health issues through the Corporate Social Responsibility but noted that once they come together and partner with governments, they would have a huge impact on the health sector.

 

”The last meeting we had was really an eye opener. We have different companies doing something in health but it has become clear that the private sector want to partner with government and that will work out better as it will have a greater impact,” she said.

The First Lady also said the meeting was beneficial in that other funds were also brought to light during the meeting that were not known in Zambia such as the fund on Tuberculosis.

She said she would take the matter up and write a proposal for Zambia aimed at increasing the screening for Tuberculosis among pregnant women.

She observed that primary prevention was the best move to undertake so that TB screening would be conducted among women attending Antenatal care.

She said TB screening among women attending antenatal would make a huge difference as prevention was better than cure.

Dr Kaseba also expressed gratitude that women issues had been taken on the agenda adding that the Global Business Coalition on Health would partner with three Southern African Development Community (SADC) to foster the SADC cancer initiative.

She said she was looking beyond Zambia as statistics on other Non Communicable Diseases were clear adding that there was need to start mobilising resources that could help other governments.

”For me, I’m looking beyond Zambia. Statistics are very plain. We need to start mobilizing resources that can help other governments. I’m glad women issues have been taken on board,” she said.

The First Lady was in South Africa to attend the Global Business Coalition for Health member meeting at which she was the Guest Speaker. The meeting was also attended by South African First Lady Bongi Ngema-Zuma.

Others who attended the just ended meeting was the Managing Director of the Global Business Coalition Health, Mr. Micheal Schreiber, Dr Brian Brink, Anglo American Chief Medical Officer and Board Member of the Global Fund and Ms Blair Miller, Vice-President, Millennium Development Goal Alliance Office of the UN Secretary Generals MDG Advocate and Special Envoy for Malaria. 

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