Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW) in collaboration with Lesotho’s partners in fight against the spread of HIV/Aids have set goals to overcome the disease and improve the delivery of Health Care to the Basotho people.
The launch of the partnership for management development which aims to enhance the management and leadership skills of national and district ministries took place at Mohale’s hoek on Monday.
While delivering his speech at the launch ceremony, Director of Primary Health Care Dr. Lugemba Budiaki pointed out that President Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) for introducing this program in Lesotho.
Dr. Lugemba said this program will broaden the knowledge of the managers about the disease and how it affects the nations. He said if the management knows about the disease, it will be easy to pass the message to subsequent levels of officers at the ministries.
He pointed out that the rest of the communities will therefore be able to get the message about the disease as well.
Professor Richard Chivaka from Johnson and Johnson (J and J) speaking at the ceremony said his organisation plays a big role in eliminating mother-to-child HIV/Aids transmission.
The U.S Ambassador to Lesotho Michelle Bond said the partnership for Management Development is particularly noteworthy because it brings private sector expertise to strengthen the government’s ability to provide services effectively.
“It reflects the on-going leadership of MoHSW to develop and implement public private partnerships, of which the most prominent example is the establishment of the Ministry of the state-of –the art Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital in Maseru,” said Ambassador Bond.
She pointed out that the program brings together MoHSW , J ana J and PEPFAR in support of the goal of eliminating mother to child transmission of HIV and paediatric HIV/AIDS in Lesotho.
Bond commend J and J ‘s extraordinary work in Southern Africa and throughout the continent, adding that the US Embassy in Lesotho looks forward to future collaboration with J and J to continue to strengthen capacity and service delivery in healthcare for all Basotho.
“I also recognise and commend the efforts of our very energetic and resourceful implementing partners, especially the University of Cape Town Business School and the Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric AIDS Foundation,” she concluded.
