Maputo, 14 September 2012 -- The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo, is expected in Mozambique as from tomorrow, 15 September 2012, for an official four-day visit to the country on the invitation of the Ministry of Health (MoH).

The last time the WHO Regional Director visited Mozambique was in August 2005 on the ocassion of the Fifty-fifth session of the WHO Regional Committee for Afrcia, held in Maputo. The Regional Committee is a WHO governing body that brings together all the ministers of health of the 46 Member States of the WHO African Region.

Dr Sambo is travelling to Mozambique to participate in the XIV Scientific Health Days scheduled for 17 to 20 September 2012 under the theme: “Instituting Research to Contribute to Health Improvement in Mozambique”, an event being organized by the Ministry of Health.

During the opening session, Dr Sambo will make a statement on the theme of the Scientific Health Days. Worth noting is that one of the core functions of WHO is to support the research agenda and stimulate the generation, dissemination and application of valuable knowledge.

The objectives of the Scientifc Days are:

• To promote continuing education, national research capacity building and comprehensive approach to health problems, effective intervention and expansion of health care availability and access.
• Establish closer communication and multidisciplinary collaboration in the biomedical, public health, epidemiological, behavioural, social, ethical, legal, educational and economic aspects of health.
• To promote and present scientific results of quality and integrity on research regarding all the relevant disciplines of health.
• To encourage communication and collaboration between professionals from the Region and those from other countries, establishing common bases of approach to health-related issues and build personal ties of friendship.
• To emphasize the critical context of infectious diseases in health problems and effective strategic needs in prevention and control.

It is expected that on the sidelines of the XIV Scientific Days, Dr Sambo will have meetings with some leaders of the country as well as with development partners.

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For further information please contact :

Telephone : 258- 21492733 or moreirag [at] mz.afro.who.int (moreirag[at]mz[dot]afro[dot]who[dot]int)