The Directorate of Health in the Kavango East and West Regions and Angola's Cuando Cubango Province Health Directorate are holding a three-day cross border meeting at Calai.

The purpose is to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the area of disease prevention.

The Namibian and Angolan health cross-border collaboration started in 2007 and held its last meeting two years ago.

This year, the focus is on the control of communicable diseases such as Malaria. HIV/AIDS, TB, and COVID-19.

The Acting Director in the Ministry of Health and Social Services in the Kavango East Region, Woita Kapumburu, says the meeting will strategize on how to control communicable diseases from both sides.

Kapumburu says if the resolutions taken on both sides materialise, it will improve Namibia's health care system.

"At the moment, the challenge that we have is that instead of using the resources for the Namibian population, we are sharing them with the Angolan nationals, and unfortunately, we cannot discriminate against them from accessing health services, but if they strengthen their health system, I think it's going to help a lot in the sense that we will have a few people that will cross into Namibia seeking health services."

Other than having to share limited facilities and medication, there is also a need for a system to trace the history of patients.

As it is now, it is difficult to trace the history of Angolan patients who received services in Namibia, says Kapumburu.

Cuando Cubango Province Health Director John Tchihinga says following last year's resolution to strengthen the Angolan health system, the government has started with the construction of three hospitals in the Province at Calai, Kwangari, and Diriku.

The meeting is expected to put in place communicable disease control measures.