Health Retrospective: the year 2022 will be marked by the continuation of the fight against the health crisis of Covid19

The Government has intensified the fight against Covid19 by reinforcing health protection measures, communicating and expanding the vaccination campaign and extending it to children aged 5 to 11.

The year 2022 is marked by the continuation of the fight against the Covid19 health crisis, in which Cape Verde was referenced, at an international level, as a success story that can be an example for other realities.

If we remember that in January 2022, the country registered more than 1000 daily cases of Covid19 caused by the Ómicron variant, which forced the Ministry of Health to lift restrictions and reinforce the fight, especially with vaccination.

Thus, the Government has intensified the fight against Covid19 by reinforcing health protection measures, communicating and promoting the vaccination campaign and extending it to children aged 5 to 11.

The epidemiological situation in the country normalized with the stabilization of the indicators and led the Government to decree the end of the state of alert, since last September 14 and the lifting of restrictions and the mandatory use of masks.

In October, the Government launched a national vaccination campaign with the pediatric dose of pfizer for children aged 5 to 11 years old. Currently, the country has a low daily number of Covid19 cases and high vaccination rates, with 86.6% of the target population receiving the second dose, 75.5% of adolescents being vaccinated, 39% of adults receiving a booster dose, 42, 9% of children aged 5 and 11 with the first dose and 30.2% completely vaccinated.

In terms of infrastructure, the Health Center of Santa Catarina de Santiago, the Occupational Therapy Center of Ribeira de Vinha in São Vicente, the first Intensive Care Unit in the country, the Center for Research and Innovation, a new Oncology and the Molecular Biology Laboratory of HAN, the Human Milk Bank of HBS and the Sanitary Post of Cancelo was elevated to the category of Health Centre.

2022 was declared the Year of Health Security, an initiative of the National Institute of Public Health, under the motto “ Nha Segurança Bu Segurança ”, with the development of various activities.

Several studies carried out showed improvements in health indicators, namely the considerable reduction in the national prevalence of intestinal parasitosis, which went from 78.5% in 2012 to 8.3% and a considerable reduction in the prevalence of goiter in all islands. The Universal Health Coverage rate rose to 69%.

In terms of training human resources, the first family medicine course was started in Cape Verde, covering 25 doctors, which represents a major commitment by the Government to improving primary health care.

The year just ended was also marked by the reinforcement of the legal framework for health, with the approval of the Law that defines the general regime for the prevention and control of smoking, the Law that defines the legal regime for the prevention and comprehensive care of HIV/AIDS, as well as as well as the Decree-Law that attributes competence to ERIS for the regulation of prices practiced in the provision of health care in the private sector.

As part of the process of certifying a country free of indigenous malaria transmission, the country received, in June, a Pre-certification Mission for the Elimination of Malaria from the World Health Organization.

Another highlight that marked the year was the change in the Minister of Health. With the departure of Arlindo do Rosário, the Government carried out a one-off adjustment in the executive with Minister Filomena Gonçalves taking over the sector's destinations, at the end of October.

For the year 2023, prospects are good with the announced increase in the State Budget for the health sector by almost 25%, with a package of projects aimed, on the one hand, at improving the quality, access and equity of services of health to the population, as well as contributing to the achievement of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and UHC (Universal Health Coverage).

In 2023, work is scheduled to start on six new health centres, namely in São Salvador do Mundo, Brava, Ribeira Grande de Santigo, Ribeira das Patas in Porto Novo, Monte Sossego in São Vicente and Achada Monte in São Miguel, the construction of the Praia Health Police Station, as well as the acquisition of 6 ambulances for the Medical Emergency Program.

The challenges and perspectives for the next year are also related to the certification of Cape Verde as a country free of indigenous malaria transmission and the country's preparation for the certification of vertical transmission of HIVAIDS and congenital syphilis.

For more information, consult the MS website www.minsaude.gov.cv