Luanda: Nineteen Angolan health professionals selected for master's degrees, specialization courses, fellowships, internships, and training programs at educational institutions in Brazil, Portugal, and South Africa were bid farewell on Wednesday at the Ministry of Health. According to Angola Press News Agency, the event took place within the framework of the Human Resources Training Project for Universal Health Coverage (PFRHS), funded by the World Bank. The welcome, orientation, and send-off ceremony was held at the Ministry of Health headquarters and was presided over by Job Monteiro, coordinator and technical manager of the PFRHS Implementation Unit (UIP-PFRHS), in the presence of specialists, consultants, technical staff, and trainees associated with the project. On the occasion, Job Monteiro congratulated the scholarship recipients on their selection and highlighted that the initiative represents a strategic investment by the Angolan State in the professional development of the health sector's workfor ce. According to the official, the professionals carry the responsibility of representing the National Health System, and must conduct themselves with discipline, ethics, institutional commitment, and a strong sense of responsibility throughout their training period. He noted that the fields of study were determined based on the sector's priority needs, aiming to strengthen the technical capacity of health institutions and improve the response to current and future challenges. He added that the program's success would be measured by the impact the scholarship recipients make at the health facilities where they work, contributing to the strengthening of health services and the consolidation of Universal Health Coverage in the country. During the session, participants received guidance on the rights and duties of scholarship recipients, administrative procedures, financial management of the scholarships, travel regulations, professional ethics and conduct, and the prevention of workplace accidents and gender- based violence. The program's general guidelines were presented by Ado Chimuanji, the PFRHS training consultant, who urged strict adherence to regulations to ensure the initiative's success and preserve the program's credibility. The agenda also included presentations on the Scholarship Recipient Code of Conduct, financial literacy, workplace accident prevention, combating gender-based violence, and procedures for international travel. The ceremony concluded with a Q and A session, followed by the official handover of passports and the signing of letters of commitment-documents formalizing the responsibilities the scholarship recipients have assumed toward the Ministry of Health. The 19 selected professionals come from hospitals, municipal and provincial health directorates, national offices, and other organizational units within the Ministry of Health. This initiative is part of the Executive's strategy to strengthen specialized training for health professionals, which is considered essential for improving the quality of care provided to the population and accelerating the implementation of Universal Health Coverage in Angola.
