Day: June 1, 2022

Luanda – Angolan President, João Lourenço, inaugurated Wednesday a new Infant-maternal Hospital located in the country’s capital, with the capacity for 220 beds.

The hospital dubbed “Dr. Manuel Pedro Azancot de Menezes” is located in the Camama District, Municipality of Belas, in Luanda, with a built area of 45,006 square meters.

The hospital is expected to increase the coverage of paediatric and maternity services, contributing to the reduction of maternal and infant mortality and increase the life expectancy of the population.

The paediatric hospital comprises three blocks with clinical emergency services, delivery room, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, physical therapy, physical rehabilitation and surgery.

Valued at 179 million US dollars, the hospital also has a burn unit, a respiratory therapy unit, clinical analysis laboratories, an imaging and radiodiagnostic system, a morgue, and a parking lot for 520 cars.

With the construction of this important hospital new jobs were created, with the hiring of 693 workers, 612 of whom are Angolans and 81 expatriates.

The Angolan government, through the Ministry of Health, built the hospital to increase the supply of qualified health services to pregnant women and their babies.

The ceremony was witnessed by the vice-president of the Republic, Bornito de Sousa, the First Lady, Ana Dias Lourenço, and government officials, among other personalities.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – Angola and Brazil signed Wednesday in Luanda two legal instruments in the fields of agriculture and defence, aimed at exploring and providing reciprocal advantages.

The agreements were signed during the meeting of the Joint Commission for Cooperation between Angola and Brazil, at which the strengthening and deepening of cooperation between the two States was discussed.

In addition to signing the new legal instruments, the two delegations analysed regional and international issues under the CPLP, with emphasis on cooperation, mobility agreements, investment facilitation and double taxation.

At the opening of the III meeting of the High Level Bilateral Commission between Angola and Brazil, the head of Angolan diplomacy, Téte António, highlighted the potential of this country, which has one of the largest economies in South America.

“Brazil is a country with a competitive, diversified market and extensive experience in the agriculture, food industry, aeronautics, among others”, he underlined.

Téte António reiterated that the Angolan Government’s priorities are aimed at diversifying the national economy, which is still dependent on natural resources, stressing that agriculture is the lever for this process.

He clarified that all efforts are being made to revive and develop agriculture, to reduce dependence on food imports.

The top diplomat said that Brazil’s experience in the agricultural sector is welcome, as it helps to promote and deepen cooperation in this field.

In turn, the minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Carlos Alberto Franco França, thanked his Angolan counterpart, Téte António, for the collaboration in carrying out the operation to repatriate Brazilian citizens during the period of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The delegations reaffirmed the importance of deepening the existing friendship and cooperation relations between Angola and Brazil.

The ministers highlighted the historical relations of friendship, fraternity, brotherhood and cooperation between both countries and peoples, reiterating the desire to boost them to levels more in line with the ambitions based on bases that support a diversified strategic partnership, with stress to cooperation mutually beneficial economy.

Cooperation between Angola and Brazil began to take shape on June 11, 1980, with the signing of the Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation Agreement.

Under this agreement, Angola and Brazil developed their cooperation in the areas of health, culture, public administration, professional training, education, environment, sports, statistics and agriculture.

Brazil was the first country in the world to recognise Angola’s independence, proclaimed on November 11, 1975, by then President António Agostinho Neto.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – Angolan minister of Health Sílvia Lutucuta said Wednesday in Luanda that the Camama Maternal-Infant Hospital will use assisted reproduction techniques and, in the near future, “in vitro”, whose legal coverage is in completion stage.

Dubbed “Dr. Manuel Pedro Azancot de Menezes”, the hospital unit, located in Camama urban district, municipality of Talatona (Luanda), will contribute, with its skills, to the implementation of the Angolan Executive’s vision of improving health care.

Inaugurated Wednesday (01 June) by the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, the hospital will also allow for the execution of equitable actions, as well as accelerate the access of children and women to efficient and quality health services.

The minister said that the hospital is a tertiary level of care, a national reference, with high complexity in maternal, neonatal and child health care, as well as dedicated to teaching excellence and developing research.

“We can easily show that, despite the economic crisis, aggravated by the health emergency that hit all health systems in the world, President João Lourenço dedicated special attention to the social sector, thus ensuring in the short, medium and long term that its positive results be felt in the main indicators of health and well-being of populations”, she said.

Therefore, the health sector has been recording an improvement in the provision of more and better services throughout the national territory, which has allowed an increase in the percentage of institutional births attended by qualified personnel, with a significant impact on institutional maternal mortality.

Likewise, according to the minister, there was an increase in the number of health units that provide integrated care for children.

The infrastructure has a capacity for 220 beds.

The 10-storey building, three of which are underground, comprises three blocks, with clinical emergency services, delivery room, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, physiotherapy and physical rehabilitation and surgery.

Estimated at USD 179 million, the hospital also has a unit for burns, respiratory therapy, laboratories for clinical analyses, an imaging and radiodiagnosis system, a morgue and a parking lot for 520 vehicles.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – The President of the Republic, João Lourenço, praised today the work of health professionals, especially cardiologists, who “have performed real miracles”.

As an example, the Angolan statesman cited the surgeons at Josina Machel Hospital and Dom Alexandre do Nascimento Hospital Complex, who, with very young and competent teams, are performing major surgeries.

According to João Lourenço, who was speaking to the press after inaugurating the Maternity and Infant Hospital “Dr. Manuel Pedro Azancot de Menezes”, the Angolan government will continue to invest in the health sector, and proof of this are the recent inaugurations of several hospital units across the country.

Likewise, he praised the total and unconditional delivery of these professionals during the critical phase of the Covid-19 pandemic.

For this reason, he thanked the health professionals, while drawing attention to the importance of humanisation in the care of the population.

He stressed that the trend is to put an end to bad practices and follow good examples, which are those of the majority.

The President said that attributing the name of Professor Dr. Azancot de Menezes to the institution is a great tribute to a doctor who dedicated his life to maternal and child health in Angola and other countries.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – Parliament Speaker Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos paid tribute Wednesday to the National Assembly MP of the opposition UNITA party Amílcar Campos Kolela, who died of illness in Luanda at the age of 58.

At the wake, held at the Army Headquarters, the Speaker of the Angolan Parliament conveyed condolences to the bereaved family and to the UNITA Parliamentary group.

Fernando Dias dos Santos considered Amílcar Campos Kolela an engaged, disciplined MP, fulfilling his duties and a fighter for the consolidation of peace and national reconciliation “and who, unfortunately, leaves us at a time when he still had a lot to give the country”.

“In this moment of pain and mourning, on behalf of myself, that of all Members of the AN and that of my family, I present to the bereaved family and to UNITA Parliamentary group our feelings of condolence and we commit ourselves to fight for peace and national reconciliation”, he expressed.

In the eulogy, the leader of UNITA, Álvaro Chikwamanga Daniel, highlighted the deceased’s ability to organise and work, which earned him his appointment as secretary of his party’s Standing Committee.

On the other hand, Ernesto Mulato, one of UNITA’s historical figures, recalled the MP’s interventions in the AN plenary sessions, considering them to be of high level.

“He was a very intelligent and dedicated worker, he will be sorely missed not only at the level of Parliament and in the committee to which he belonged (Economy and Finance)”, he underlined.

Benedito Daniel, deputy of the PRS, considered the deceased as a MP who knew how to zealously fulfill his mission. “UNITA loses one of its best staff”.

Amílcar Campos Kolela, who was buried Wednesday, at the Benfica Cemetery, in Luanda, was born in October 1964, in the province of Huambo, was elected member to the National Assembly in the 2017 elections.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Cambundi-Catembo – The deputy provincial governor for the Political, Economic and Social sector, Domingos Eduardo, Tuesday reiterated the need to vigorously combat the practice of violence against children, especially sexual abuse and exploitation of children, with a view to their full development.

Speaking during the provincial ceremony held on June 1 (International Children’s Day), in Mussolo, Cambundi-Catembo municipality, Domingos Eduardo said that the society has the duty to protect children until they become adults, responsible and capable of contributing to the country’s development.

In this sense, he understands that families have increased responsibilities, since they represent the primary institution of society, but regretted the fact that in many cases, it is within this fringe where flagrant violations of the rights of minors are registered.

He recalled that the State also has its task in what concerns the protection of children’s rights, which go through the creation of quality teaching conditions and other actions that contribute for the healthy growth of this fringe, but it is up to the families to provide their share regarding other aspects of preservation.

On the other hand, the official announced the inauguration in the next days of a children shelter centre in Lombe commune, Cacuso municipality, with capacity to house 220 minors, with the purpose of reducing the number of children on the streets.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Ondjiva – At least 4,99 explosive devices were deactivated during the first quarter of this year by demining operators in Cunene province.

The information was provided Wednesday by the liaison officer of the National Mine Action Agency in Cunene, Mário Satipamba, noting that the material included 23 anti-personnel mines, eight anti-tank mines, 365 devices and remnants of war, 101 small caliber ammunition and two metals.

Satipamba said that the devices were deactivated in the municipalities of Cuanhama, Ombadja, Namacunde and Cuvelai, during specific demining actions.

He added that the undetonated explosive devices were found as a result of a popular complaint and others in suspicious areas, particularly in the Môngua commune, where every year there are records of deaths from incidents with mines.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – The Minister of Youth and Sports, Ana Paula do Sacramento Neto, asked for precautions to avoid that the National Junior Female Handball Team athletes feel psychological pressure, ahead of the World Championship, to be held from June 22 to July 3, in Slovenia.

According to the official, this risk stems from the fact that handball is a winning sport, also at this age group, with successive victories in African Championships and appearances in World Championships.

Speaking to the press on the sidelines of the ceremony of handing over the Flag of the Republic of Angola to the National Team for the event, she asked, however, for greater commitment from the athletes so that the final result is satisfactory.

The national team head this Friday (03) to Hungary, where they will hold the second phase of preparation.

It is expected control games with the national teams of the United States, Brazil, Hungary, Romania and South Korea.

In the World Cup in Slovenia, Angola is in group E, alongside Lithuania, Romania and the Czech Republic.

Angola is the current African champion of the category (counting with nine trophies), a feat achieved last February in Guinea Conakry.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Menongue – The acting governor of Cuando Cubango, Bonifácio Cassanga, reiterated today, Wednesday, in this city, the need to value the families, for constituting the fundamental base of the society, natural means for the growth and welfare of the child.

Thus, the practical execution of the rights contained in the eleven commitments for children will continue to be part of the priorities of the local government, with a view to their full and multifaceted development, with emphasis on free education, medical care and protection against all forms of exploitation.

This position of the deputy governor was expressed in the act that marked the “International Children’s Day”, which is marked today, having pointed out that this reason leads to an increase in all the municipalities and communes of classrooms, teacher training, construction of children’s centres and community education.

The Cuando Cubango director of the National Children’s Institute, Lérias Natália Mutango Biwango, called on all public and private institutions, families, churches and civil society in general to transmit values, information and behavioural norms of social and cultural interest to children.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – The Angolan National Football Team have made an auspicious start to the qualifiers for the 2023 African Nations Cup, in Côte d’Ivoire, after beating CAR, 2-1, Wednesday, in a match played at the 11 de Novembro stadium, in Luanda.

The match is for the first round of group (E).

Source: Angola Press News Agency