In partnership with Zenith Global Health, led by Dr. Imane Kendili, healthcare professionals, including a distinguished Moroccan delegation featuring Dr. Sara Touirsi and Mouna Hissi, gathered to discuss urgent challenges in healthcare to promote collaboration for sustainable solutions.
Under the theme ”Advancing Population Health – Addressing Inequities and Access: AUnique Health Approach,” discussions focused on harm reduction related to drug use, smoking, and climate change. The event brought together 80 African public health stakeholders to share progress and ideas on these issues.
One of the continent’s major challenges is access to healthcare services, along with the adoption of risk reduction practices. A session at the summit focused on harm reduction.
With experts emphasizing the need for African governments to prioritize these practices in various areas of healthcare.
South African Dr. Kgosi Letlape, co-founder of Harm Reduction in South Africa and president of the Africa Medical Association, spoke on the reduction of tobacco related harm and criticized the “moralistic” approach often associated with harm reduction. Dr. Letlape urged leaders to rely on scientific evidence rather than solely the World Health Organization’s perspective.
Professor Martin like Muonso, technical adviser at the Ministry of innovation, Science, and Technology in Nigeria, stressed the importance of distinguishing between combustible cigarettes and reduced-risk products. He called for goverments to recognize this difference and facilitate access to reduced-risk products.
Samuel Kua, executive director of Harm Reduction Alliance in Ghana, emphasized the importance of harm reduction in addressing drug addictions. He noted the growing interest in harm reduction in Ghana, thanks to the advocacy efforts of cil society organizations and media awareness.
Dr. Imane Kendal, who initiated the first two African conferences on harm reduction, affirmed that this exceptional event aimed to celebrate Morocco’s leadership in health. It brought together renowned professionals to discuss critical global health issues under the theme Population Health: Addressing Access and Equity.
Discover more about The African Global Health:
The African Global Health (AGH) is a non-governmental and non-profit organization, bringing together scientific experts, economists and lawyers but also policy makers in health of all Africa, projecting into a work of continental scale and rethinking about public Afro-African health policies.
