After visiting the Dr. Azancot de Menezes Maternal and Child Hospital in Luanda, Ana Paula Martins emphasized that the center is part of Angola’s “strategic vision” to transform its health system, a vision that Portugal fully supports.
The Health Minister stated that support would be provided on various fronts, including training and technical assistance, with funding to be secured through credit lines, while Angola’s authorities will determine the priorities.
“The financial aspect relates to the lines already announced by the Portuguese Government” and made available to the Angolan Government, she noted.
“It is up to the Angolan Government to identify its priorities, and this oncology center has been identified as a priority,” she highlighted.
Ana Paula Martins explained that the cooperation memorandum between the two nations has “two main objectives”: “To assess the progress of this agreement regarding training and identify areas where we could expand this cooperation, particularly in strategic planning, management, and digital fields, which are crucial for both countries. The second objective is to participate in the congress marking 20 years of fighting HIV and to share experiences from both countries in this multisectoral approach,” she added.
Martins also underscored the importance of mutual cooperation, noting that Portuguese healthcare professionals gain experience in Angola in specific epidemiological areas.
“Our healthcare professionals here can gain experience in areas or institutions where we have few or no cases, given the different epidemiological profiles,” she said.
Angola’s Health Minister, Sílvia Lutucuta, who accompanied the visit, emphasized the importance of training within the scope of cooperation with Portugal.
“Beyond the significant investment being made in infrastructure, Angola is also heavily investing in training personnel to ensure better service for the entire population. We have a five-year plan to train 38,000 healthcare professionals across various careers, and Portugal has been a strategic partner for us,” she stated.
Sílvia Lutucuta further stressed the bidirectional nature of the cooperation: “We should not only focus on our professionals going to Portugal, but we also want to see Portuguese healthcare professionals coming here to take advantage of the epidemiological specificity of our country,” she remarked, noting existing joint research projects with Portuguese institutions.
The Portuguese Minister’s visit continues until October 5 and is part of the Cooperation Protocol signed in Lisbon on February 25, 2025.
Besides support for the oncology center, plans include training programs for Angolan doctors in Portugal and internships for Portuguese professionals in Angola in tropical disease areas, along with cooperation in fields like public health, strategic planning, the pharmaceutical industry, and scientific research.
