Luanda, 11 October 2008 -- The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo, received an award in Luanda on Friday from the Angolan Medical Association for his work for the health and the well-being of the people of the African Continent.

Prior to receiving the award, Dr Sambo delivered an address on health-related Millennium Development Goals: plans and the way forward in Africa, with emphasis on maternal and child health, tuberculosis, malaria and HIV/AIDS.

Dr Luis G. Sambo, in his address, outlined global efforts to improve health and address health determinants in Africa. He stressed, however, that the human and financial resources for achieving better health remain inadequate.

In a tribute justifying the award, the President of the Angolan Medical Association, Dr Carlos Pinto de Sousa, noted that the Angolan medical body acknowledged the qualities the WHO Regional Director and his commitment to the search for comprehensive approaches to improving the health situation in the African Region.

The ceremony was attended by members of the Angolan Government, former health officials, health professionals, Dr Sambo’s former colleagues, his friends and his family as well as WHO officials.

Dr de Sousa went on to say that Dr Sambo is a citizen of the world whose work has been guided by values transcending his African origins in his quest for genuine humanism focused on humankind.

“The tribute to Dr Sambo, a citizen and a WHO top official, was crowned with the award of the Order of Angolan Medical Doctors as a token of brotherhood and our solidarity”, Dr de Sousa added.

Participants at the gathering unanimously affirmed that the current WHO Regional Director has always earned and deserved the respect and admiration of the Angolan people in particular and Africans in general for his dedication to the health and well-being of the populations.

In his response, the WHO Regional Director expressed gratitude for the award and pledged his continuing effort to always deserve the honour bestowed on him.

Issued by WHO Office in Angola.

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