The Ministers of Finance and Health in Southern African countries called for a coordinated response to the Ebola Outbreak and expressed solidarity to the countries affected by the disease, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
The disease has claimed 438 lives among the 1,406 confirmed infected cases.
According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, this amounts to a 31% a fatality rate.
The Ministers met in Harare since Thursday, where they committed to jointly pursue measures to advance sustainable health financing, improve health security, and build resilient health systems in Southern Africa.
They acknowledged that “health and economic prosperity go hand in hand” and recognised the significant social and economic costs associated with ill health.
They also committed to strengthen domestic resource mobilisation for health by accelerating fiscal reforms, promoting Public-Private Partnerships, and implementing innovative financing mechanisms.
Picture: Supplied