Harare, 13 June 2013 -- In a bid to strengthen relations between the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and WHO, the WHO Representative, Dr David Okello invited the Honorable Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr Henry Madzorera for an informal tour of the WHO compound. The tour was preceded by lunch at the Jacaranda Space where the Honorable Minister and the WR discussed health issues informally. The lunch and tour was attended by some officers from both WHO and the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare.

Dr Okello took advantage of the tour and handed over to the Honorable Minister a vehicle that WHO acquired for the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare. The vehicle, a state of the art landcruiser worth over USD 60 000, will be used for routine EPI surveillance at the Ministry’s head office. Speaking during the brief handover,the WHO Representative said, in an effort to support the Ministry of health and Child Welfare to improve surveillance for vaccine preventable diseases, WHO used GAVI funds to purchase for the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare the vehicle which will go a long way in strengthening routine EPI surveillance. Dr Okello said although much more is needed, he believes that this contribution will fill some of the gaps in transport and communication.

In accepting the vehicle, the Honourable Ministerof Health and Child Welfare, Dr Henry Madzorera said the vehicle has come at the right time because the Ministry are trying to strengthen surveillance for vaccine preventable and other diseases . He said the vehicle will greatly improve the capacity of the EPI department to strengthen sruveillance which will guard against the emergence of disease outbreaks. ‘We believe this is not the end but the beginning of more good things to come,” said Dr Madzorera.

The Honorable Minister was then taken on a tour of the WHO compound including the gym. He congratulated WHO for providing a state of the art gym to manage stress and promote a healthy lifestyle among staff. The WHO Representative extended an invitation to the Honorable Minister to make use of the facilities. “You are free to come and use the facilities any time, and we can arrange to meet here and encourage each other as we take control of our health,” said Dr Okello.

Dr Okello thanked the Honorable Minister for coming to WHO and said that it should become a regular feature on their calendars. “We should do this more often in order to strengthen our relationship and to discuss issues informally,” he said.