Luanda — Angola issued a declaration Thursday during the coordination session of the African region at the 76th World Health Assembly (WHA) taking place in Geneva from 21 to 30 May.

The event is based on the theme "another billion people with better health and well-being".

In the declaration, the States of the African region recognise that "WHO's goals of providing an additional billion people with better health and well-being are an ambitious challenge that requires a coordinated approach with all Member States and other international actors".

The declaration states that the protection and promotion of health allows WHO to contribute to the implementation of global systems that guarantee the well-being of all people, especially the most vulnerable.

"This objective forces stakeholders to work and reinforce basic sanitation, healthy and climate-resistant environments, good management of chemicals, putting people, especially the elderly, at the center, improving the well-being of families and communities, at national, regional and global level," the statement reads.

According to the document, WHO's global action on health emergencies also provides a framework for Member States and stakeholders to develop strategies to address deafness in particular, to improve early diagnosis and care, strengthen support for primary health care providers to undertake research for healthy living.

Member States in the African region support the effective implementation of the relevant recommendations and requested that the World Health Assembly continue to be informed on issues linked to the strategic approach to international chemicals management, the global health strategy, the environment and climate change, the action plan for the decade of healthy aging 2020-2030.

It also emphasises safe water, sanitation and hygiene services, the prevention of deafness and hearing loss, as well as the Global Plan of Action on the public health response to dementia and efforts to reduce its impact in communities.