Online Reporter
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke
Senior Health Reporter
Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora is leading a Zimbabwean delegation at the 76th Session of the World Health Organisation Regional Committee for Africa (RC76), which is currently underway in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The meeting, which runs from August 24 to 28, was officially opened on Tuesday by Ethiopian President Ambassador Taye Atske Selassie to pave the way for African countries to discuss strategies to strengthen health systems and achieve universal health coverage.
President Atske Selassie called for stronger African cooperation and greater ownership of the continent’s health architecture.
This followed a high-level ministerial dialogue on accelerating progress towards universal health coverage and health security.
Dr Mombeshora is participating in discussions on strengthening medicines regulatory systems and expanding local pharmaceutical manufacturing, highlighting Zimbabwe’s progress in medicines regulation.
The meeting is also focusing on sustainable domestic financing for health, health sovereignty, self-reliance, local manufacturing and investment in African centres of excellence, with participants calling for closer alignment between WHO and Africa CDC to maximise impact and avoid duplication.
Other key agenda items include the Africa Health Workforce Agenda 2026–2035, the Regional Health Data Hub, reforms to the global health architecture and strengthening regulation of medicines and medical products.
Zimbabwe’s delegation includes Permanent Secretary Dr Aspect Maunganidze, Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Ambassador Ever Mlilo and other senior officials, with the country expected to share experiences and draw lessons to support implementation of the National Health Strategy 2026–2030.
