MONICA KAYOMBO/Durban
DR Christine Kaseba, former First Lady of Zambia and oncologist, on Saturday received commendation for her outstanding presentation on “Primary Health Care Delivery and Transformation” during the plenary session of the four-day Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA) in Durban, South Africa.
Dr Kaseba shared the podium with other experts who also shared their views on other health subjects, Dr. Amit Thakker, Executive Director for Africa Health Business, and Dr Lucy Liwewe Mazaba, Regional Director for Eastern Africa Regional Coordinating Centres of Disease Control.
Dr Kaseba’s presentation focused on “Challenging the Current Status of Health for Mothers, Adolescents, and Children.”
She said there is a need for a Primary Health Care revolution in service delivery to achieve universal health coverage and health security.
“There is a need for a Primary Health Care revolution in service delivery to achieve universal health coverage and health security,” she emphasized.
Dr Kaseba noted that while Zambia has made progress with government commitment, more needs to be done.
She highlighted the root causes of the status quo, including weak and expensive primary health care systems, challenges in integrating vertical services, health workforce shortages and burnout, low community participation in healthcare, and health systems that do not center on local cultures.
She said the Zambian government has employed thousands of health workers in recent years, including 11,276 in 2022, 3,500 in 2023, and 4,440 in 2024, with more expected in the coming years.
She explained that the government is also mentoring and capacity-building health workers to improve the quality of healthcare.
To achieve a primary health care revolution, Dr Kaseba said there is a need to build community and human centered PHC, empower and Invest in community health workers and mid-level providers, integrate maternal child and adolescent health services, leverage digital innovations for health and strengthen data collection systems.
She cited examples of successful initiatives in Zambia, such as tele-medicine, training para-medics and community members in healthcare delivery, and task shifting, which have helped transform the country’s health system.
Dr Kaseba also stressed the importance of identifying greater domestic resources for health financing, increasing and strengthening local manufacturing of health commodities, and viewing mothers, children, and adolescents as partners in health.
She added that for the revolution in primary health care to become a reality, the agents of change should be clinicians and public health practitioners, lawmakers and policymakers, public figures and advocates, women and adolescents, and the media.
In her concluding remarks, Dr Kaseba emphasized that a resilient primary health care system built on equity and justice is crucial for achieving healthy mothers, empowered adolescents, thriving children, and prosperity.
“Healthy mothers, empowered adolescents, thriving children and prosperity could only be attained if the PHC system became resilient through equity and justice,” she said.
This year’s CPHIA was held under the theme “Moving towards self-reliance to achieve Universal Health Coverage and health security in Africa.”
Dr Kaseba, former First Lady of Zambia and oncologist, received commendation for her outstanding presentation on “Primary Health Care Delivery and Transformation” during the plenary session of the four-day Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA).
Dr Kaseba shared the podium with Dr. Amit Thakker, Executive Director for Africa Health Business, and Dr. Lucy Liwewe Mazaba, Regional Director for Eastern Africa Regional Coordinating Centres of Disease Control. Her presentation focused on “Challenging the Current Status of Health for Mothers, Adolescents, and Children.”
Dr Kaseba said there is a need for a Primary Health Care revolution in service delivery to achieve universal health coverage and health security. “There is a need for a Primary Health Care revolution in service delivery to achieve universal health coverage and health security,” she emphasized.
She noted that while Zambia has made progress with government commitment, more needs to be done. Dr. Kaseba highlighted the root causes of the status quo, including weak and expensive primary health care systems, challenges in integrating vertical services, health workforce shortages and burnout, low community participation in healthcare, and health systems that do not center on local cultures.
The Zambian government has employed thousands of health workers in recent years, including 11,276 in 2022, 3,500 in 2023, and 4,440 in 2024, with more expected this year. The government is also mentoring and capacity-building health workers to improve the quality of healthcare.
To achieve a primary health care revolution, Dr. Kaseba said: “Build Community and human centered PHC, empower and Invest in community health workers and mid-level providers, integrate maternal child and adolescent health services, leverage digital innovations for health strengthen data collection systems.”
She cited examples of successful initiatives in Zambia, such as tele-medicine, training para-medics and community members in healthcare delivery, and task shifting, which have helped transform the country’s health system.
Dr. Kaseba also stressed the importance of identifying greater domestic resources for health financing, increasing and strengthening local manufacturing of health commodities, and viewing mothers, children, and adolescents as partners in health. She added that for the revolution in primary health care to become a reality, the agents of change should be clinicians and public health practitioners, lawmakers and policymakers, public figures and advocates, women and adolescents, and the media.
In her concluding remarks, Dr. Kaseba emphasized that a resilient primary health care system built on equity and justice is crucial for achieving healthy mothers, empowered adolescents, thriving children, and prosperity. “Healthy mothers, empowered adolescents, thriving children and prosperity could only be attained if the PHC system became resilient through equity and justice,” she said.
This year’s CPHIA was held under the theme “Moving towards self-reliance to achieve Universal Health Coverage and health security in Africa.”
