As part of the celebration of the WHO 75th anniversary, the Health district of the Caué organized a community outreach health services called “Health Fair” this Saturday 15 April  in Angolares city.

Hundreds of residents of the city and the surrounding areas joined the initiative, whose motto was Health for All, in line with the theme chosen this year by the WHO for its annual Health for All campaign, which aims to raise awareness about equity for health services, leaving no one behind.

The Caué health district is the second to organize a Health Fair in the context of the celebration of of 75th anniversary of the World Health Organization. Last week the district of Agua-Grande, where São Tomé capital is located, had already organized its fair in the country’s main market, having welcomed hundreds of users.

In Angolares, doctors and health technicians were able to assist 250 people providing medical care and treatment for glycemia, hypertension, nutrition, maternal and reproductive health, child health services including vaccination, COVID-19 vaccination, ultrasound, as well as HIV, syphilis, malaria, Dengue, Covid-19 and Hepatitis B testing. It was also an opportunity to sensitise the population and raise awareness about hygiene and sanitation for Angolares market.

The district of Caué has a population of about 8,000 people according to the 2022 data from the National Institute of Statistics, and is one of the poorest district of the the country, but it is also the one that has made the most visible progress in health in recent years. For example, in the fight against malaria, it is one of the districts that could be certified malaria free at the sub-regional level by 2025, and it has also made significant progress in COVID19 vaccination and routine immunization.

However, this district faces major health challenges with the highlight being non-communicable diseases that result from many risk factors including excessive alcohol consumption. These diseases are costly to individuals, families, hospitals and the health system. The drugs and medical equipment needed to treat them are expensive. The current situation of the district requires more investment in improving the population’s living conditions, infrastructure, water, electricity and sanitation, which are important socio-economic determinants of health.

WHO remains committed to support decentralized health initiatives to move forward to Universal Health Coverage which is the vision of the National Health Policy adopted by the government in 2022.

The next activity for the WHO 75th anniversary celebration is an inclusive walk planned on 21 April 2023, with children, adolescents, adults and older people including disable people. This walk will be  under the leadership of the minister of youth and sport and the minister of health to promote physical activity as a key action that can reduce the incidence of non-communicable diseases in Sao Tome and Principe.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Sao Tome and Principe.