Although no cases have been recorded in the country, the Local Governance Council was informed yesterday, in a meeting chaired by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, about the impact of the measures contained in the National Ebola Contingency Plan currently being implemented.
The Ministry of Health described how surveillance has been strengthened at land borders, seaports, and international airports, with specific measures for informing passengers arriving from affected and at-risk countries, or from other countries depending on the evolution of the current situation.
In statements to the press at the end of the council’s first ordinary meeting, Health Minister Sílvia Lutucuta said Ebola is causing “some concern” for Angolan authorities, as the country shares a long border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), considered the epicenter of the disease.
She explained that in the neighboring country, the virus is more prevalent in the northern region, closer to Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania. “The major concern is that this new strain does not yet have an available vaccine, remains highly contagious, and has a high mortality rate,” she detailed.
According to the minister, among the measures adopted at border points is temperature screening of travelers, and she recommended avoiding travel to affected areas. Regarding monkeypox, Sílvia Lutucuta said that from last year to date, four cases were recorded in Uíge province and nine cases in Cabinda. However, there are currently only five active cases in the northernmost province.
“Among the main results achieved are the construction, rehabilitation, and completion of schools; construction and modernization of hospitals, health centers, and clinics; rehabilitation of roads; as well as the implementation of dams and power generation systems, contributing to energy security and water supply”
To combat it, a strategy has been adopted that, in addition to public awareness and prevention, includes other measures, especially vaccination of contacts. This was reinforced by Cabinda provincial governor Suzana Abreu, who stated that “we now have to prepare to deal with the Ebola situation.”
Considering that Cabinda, in addition to official borders, has informal crossing points, she explained that this raises concern, which is why working committees have been created to strengthen surveillance.
Suzana Abreu assured that measures will continue to be reinforced to ensure population protection. Another concern relates to monkeypox, with data showing five active cases in the province. “We are also taking the necessary measures.
More than 470 public projects completed
We have isolated cases and the situation is well controlled,” she said, adding that technical teams are well prepared in terms of training and equipment to fight the disease.
Members of the Local Governance Council were informed that, by the end of the first quarter of this year, construction works for 473 projects included in the Public Investment Program had been completed.
The report presented at the meeting also notes that the 2026 PIP closed the reporting period with a budget execution of 5.11383 trillion kwanzas, with expenditures settled amounting to 1.72434 trillion kwanzas, corresponding to a financial execution rate of 33.7%, reflecting positive performance compared to the same period last year.
“Among the main results achieved are the construction, rehabilitation, and completion of schools; construction and modernization of hospitals, health centers, and clinics; rehabilitation of roads; as well as the implementation of dams and power generation systems, contributing to energy security and water supply,” reads the press release issued at the end of the meeting.
It should be noted that Suzana Abreu also briefed the press on ongoing and upcoming projects in Cabinda province, highlighting that the commissioning of the CREC (External Ring Road of Cabinda) will take place soon, and that construction works on the 11 de Novembro University Campus had recently resumed.
The governor explained that her province is among those benefiting from the Metal Bridges Construction Program, which is particularly important given the region’s geographic situation and the need for bridges in several locations. During the reporting period, 12 bridges were built. “We will continue working to build bridges where they are needed,” she said.
Source: O País Angola
