Huambo — The Chief of Staff of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), general Geraldo Sachipengo Nunda, said Wednesday in the city of Huambo that the statistical system and epidemiologic surveillance is the backbone in the development of investigation and protection of the health of troops.

"The armed forces have a great challenge to change quickly the mortality rate from HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, arterial hypertension, diabetes, among others, thus it is necessary to adopt measures of health promotion and protection, combined with top quality assistance and humanized process", he stressed.

At his closing speech in the 10th Methodological Meeting of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA)'s Health Services noted that the military forces have the mission to promote, protect and preserve the physical, mental and psychological health, as well as assist with basic medical, psychosocial and pharmaceutical care.

The FAA General-Staff Chief considered that health should not just be the responsibility of doctors and nurses, but also of commanders and chiefs, who must instill the promotion of the basic assumptions of the management of health.

General Nunda highlighted that as part of the education system, a medicine course will be included under the Health and Biotechnical Department of the Military Technical Higher Institute.