Speech by H.E. Dr Zahira Virani, Resident Coordinator of the UN System in Angola, on launching the Cholera Vaccination Campaign. 

Her Excellency, Minister of Health, Dr. Silvia Lutucuta; 

Excellency Luís Nunes, Governor of the Province of Luanda, 

Honourable members of the Diplomatic Corps, 

Dear Representatives of Rotary and Gavi, 

Colleagues from the United Nations, 

Dear children, parents and community, 

Good morning, everyone! 

Today, we are here to take an essential step in the fight against cholera in Angola. First of all, I want to express my solidarity with all the families affected by this disease. I know it hasn’t been easy, but we can overcome this challenge together. 

I want to acknowledge and thank the Government of Angola, especially the Minister of Health, Dr. Sílvia Lutucuta, for the rapid and decisive response. From the timely notification to the WHO to the activation of the Multisectoral Commission, every action taken has been essential in saving lives and controlling the spread of the disease. 

To the Honorable Governor of Luanda Province, Luís Nunes, I salute your commitment to coordinating local efforts, ensuring that the most vulnerable communities are quickly assisted. Excellencies, Cholera is a severe disease, but it is preventable. 

The response to this outbreak must be multidimensional: prevention, immediate treatment and vaccination. But more than that, we must go beyond short-term responses. 

The leadership and firm determination we saw in the immediate response must now be applied to improving nationwide access to water and sanitation infrastructure. 

Then, we will never face a problem like cholera in Angola again. The United Nations, partners and the private sector are here to support and work alongside the government in this mission. 

The private sector has responded to the call, mobilising under the leadership of the government to support this response, with companies such as UNITEL, OMATAPALO, Onmimed, West Aves, Refriango, Carmon Estrutura, among others, playing a key role in this fight. Since the beginning of this outbreak, the UN has been on Angola’s side through the WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, and other agencies. Our support includes funding, capacity building for health workers, provision of treated water and community mobilisation. 

I am very proud of all the colleagues who have worked tirelessly to ensure that the response to this crisis is swift, effective and coordinated. I want to thank the UN teams led by Dr Yoti Zabulon and Antero Pina for their tireless work, rapid mobilisation and commitment to saving lives. 

Dear attendees, the vaccination campaign that begins today is an important milestone, and my message today is simple: get vaccinated, protect yourself and help spread the correct information about prevention. 

Finally, I make this appeal not only as a development professional and United Nations Resident Coordinator in Angola but also as a mother; I appeal to all mothers, fathers and caregivers to observe basic hygiene measures, such as washing their hands with soap and water, and treating drinking water, so that everyone can be protected, especially our children. 

With everyone’s collaboration, we can beat cholera and guarantee a healthier future for all Angolans without leaving anyone behind. 

Thank you very much!