Zanzibar — THE Zanzibar First Vice-President Othman Masoud Othman has recognised the role of clinical officers in the community as crucial in the world to enhance the delivery of quality health care.
He was speaking at the two-day 'Global Association of Clinical Officers and Physician Associates (GACOPA)' international conference held here at the Tourism College- Maruhubi, State University of Zanzibar (SUZA).
"Clinical Officers (COs) play an important role particularly as countries target Universal Health Coverage (UHC), which means that all people have access to the full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship," Mr Othman said.
Othman said clinical officers cover the full continuum of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care across the life course.
"Clinical officers have shown a strong relation in their work in meeting the UHC," he said.
The First Vice-President observed that the maiden GACOPA conference in the East African region, under the Theme: 'Maximising the Impact of Clinical Officers: A Strategy for Achieving Universal Health Coverage in East Africa' was timely.
"Therefore, the conference should look very seriously across the region or individual country on how best clinical officers can demonstrate the difference in teamwork with other health professionals to bring a positive impact to UHC," Mr Othman said.
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He explained that participants would come out with a very clear direction of the clinical officers' development programme that would facilitate the speed of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage by 2030.
Mr Austin Oduor Otieno- President of GACOPA (International), joined others to appreciate the good work and the efforts that clinical officers' have shown for many years providing quality services at the rural areas to save the life of community members especially women and children and marginalised population with limited equipment in their health facilities.
He said GACOPA will play a vital role as a global organisation for this cadre in harmonising the curriculum, standardise the official name that will be acceptable, lay down clear roles and responsibilities and develop future career ladder for this professional cadre "Including establishing a joint regulatory body."
"Lobbying to have a bill for a joint regulatory body to be tabled in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has been going on well. We have positive nod from parliamentary speakers, Health Ministers, and other stakeholders," Otieno said.
More than 200 delegates and participants from different countries of East African community - Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan attended the meeting. They include also delegates from Ethiopia, DR Congo and Somaliland.
