AU summit: Toyin Saraki hails progress on health

President of the Wellbeing Foundation, Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki, has commended the African Union (AU) for the commitment made by the union in the area of Healthcare.
Saraki who is the wife of the President of the Nigerian Senate and Global Goodwill Ambassador for the International Confederation of Midwives welcomed the commitment of the AU to focus on health.
The 30th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia had as its theme: “Winning the Fight against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa’s Transformation,”.
The summit set the scene for declarations of stronger international cooperation from the leaders of the United Nations and the African Union.
In the area of healthcare, the summit through the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) resolved to add Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) to its annual scorecard.
Reacting to this decision, Mrs Saraki said: “I welcome the decision of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) to add neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) to its annual scorecard on disease progress.
“This places NTDs alongside malaria and maternal and child health as the top health priorities to be personally reviewed by African heads of state every year.”
“The spirit of cooperation demonstrated at the African Union Summit this year should encourage all Governments, charities, businesses and citizens to work for a brighter tomorrow.
“I appreciate African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat and Madame Bineta Diop, African Union Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, for their commitment to peace, prosperity and to significantly improved health outcomes across Africa,” she said.
At the opening of the summit, UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres hailed recent achievement, including the agreement for a second framework on implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
He said: “I strongly believe Africa is one of the greatest forces for good in our world.”