Victoria, Seychelles, 20 January 2016 -- The Minister of Health (MOH) signed the biennial plan of work for the period 2016 – 2017 at a media event held on Friday 16th January 2017. The plan was formally approved by Minister Mitcy Larue in the presence of senior Ministry of Health officials and the media, following the endorsement of the plan by the Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti. The signed plan was handed over by the Minister of Health on behalf of the Government of Seychelles to the World Health Organization acting WHO Liaison Officer for Seychelles Dr. Humphrey Karamagi at the same event.

The MOH/WHO workplan is a biennial plan which is elaborated based on health priorities identified by the Government of Seychelles. The strategy provides a clear framework for WHO's technical cooperation with Seychelles for the next two years and covers a wide range of health issues including Communicable and Non-communicable diseases, health promotion, health systems strengthening, disease preparedness, surveillance and response amongst others. The total approved budget for the next two years is US$1,030,000. It is expected that the plan will contribute to the country’s further achievements of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Addressing the officials at this ceremony, the Minister for Health Mrs Larue thanked WHO for the continued support and said that although the money won’t be enough to implement everything, “there is a wide array of solid strategies and masterful innovations that the ministry will be able to implement to strengthen the structures and processes of the Health system to promote health nationwide, to arrest current disease burden and to ward off emerging and re-emerging diseases”. She highlighted the effective role WHO cooperation has played in supporting the country attain its health goals, and looks forward to further strengthening this cooperation in the coming biennium.

On his part, the acting WLO Dr. Karamagi conveyed greetings from the WHO Regional Director to the Government of Seychelles. He acknowledged the close cooperation between WHO and Seychelles, and reiterated WHO’s role as the directing and coordinating authority on health in the United Nations system. He detailed out for the participants the changing focus of WHO in line with the WHO/AFRO transformative agenda, looking forward to the implementation of the PB 2016-17 in this context.

This renewed support from WHO for the next two years comes after the previous biennium plan ended in December 2015, and will be implemented in the global context of the Sustainable Development Goals, and the country context of the Health for all, health in all and health by all focus.