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Mukudzei Chingwere in Geneva, Switzerland
Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Constantino Chiwenga has taken the fight against drug and substance abuse to the World Health Organisation’s World Health Assembly (WHA)as Zimbabwe rallies its neighbours and continental peers to fend off the menace.
VP Chiwenga is leading a Zimbabwean delegation largely drawn from the Ministry of Health and Child Care to the 76th WHA and last night met continental peers under the auspices of the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) for the 72nd Health Ministers’ Conference.
ECSA-HC is an inter-governmental health organisation that fosters and promotes regional cooperation in health among member States.
Its establishment is premised on the public health principle that diseases have no regard for artificial borders thus the community of nations needs a combined holistic approach to achieve their health targets.
Speaking to journalists after closed door engagements with fellow Ministers of Health from the block, VP Chiwenga said his message was a call for a concerted regional cooperation in fighting off the drug and substance abuse menace that is threatening to shred the social fabric and wipe off an entire generation.
His call to international action comes on the back of President Mnangagwa having taken it upon himself to lead and mobilise against drug abuse that has destroyed young lives and zombified many.
“I pointed in the meeting, to my colleagues, about the issue of mental health, drug and substance abuse because these are issues which are currently affecting our youth,” said VP Chiwenga.
“This is a generation which if we don’t look after we can lose it. But the consequences will be quite catastrophic. Now people cannot see the danger, but as we move, we, the older generation, are aging and there will be that big gap.
“So, it’s no longer a country problem but we are saying all of us in Africa we are being affected. Also the moral decadence which is now coming in . . . so we have to come up with concrete plans as ministers of health and our professionals to see how we can work with our colleagues so that there can be a holistic approach,” he said.
Drug peddlers and traffickers travel across countries and also the continued African integration and globalisation could be taken advantage of by these ill-meaning characters, so the good need to combine as well.
For its part, Zimbabwe has declared war against drug and substance abuse which has seen several peddlers arrested and prosecuted.
VP Chiwenga also said the meeting discussed its upcoming 50th anniversary to be held next year as well as mutually beneficial successes registered which have seen more and more countries on the continent expressing their willingness to join the grouping.
Earlier in the day VP Chiwenga met and briefed the Zimbabwe mission to Switzerland and all the Geneva based international organisations on the state of affairs back home and the progress the country continues to make under the leadership of President Mnangagwa.
He explained that the country is peaceful, ready to hold free and fair elections in which the ruling Zanu PF party is poised for victory and implored the mission to promote the country as a safe destination for business and tourism.
“Government and the ruling party, Zanu PF, are clear that we should build our country on our own, with those who want to work with us joining as we go.
“We are encouraged that more than 3 million eligible voters participated in the Zanu PF primary elections out of the 6 million registered voters.
“We are happy that investors are increasingly regaining confidence in our country’s policy initiatives and the subsequent conducive economic environment obtaining in the country,” said VP Chiwenga.
“The economy is registering positive growth. This is the time for you and me to build our country together. As the President would say, brick by brick, stone upon stone…” he said.
Online Reporter