Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 18 August 2026 – The Director General of the Ministry of Health and Social Services of the Federal Government of Somalia, Mr. Yusuf Hassan Isaq, accompanied by officials from the Ministry, participated in the 8th Regional Technical Advisory Committee (ReTAC) Meeting of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The meeting brought together representatives from countries across the Eastern and Central Africa regions to discuss progress, challenges, and effective approaches to strengthening health systems among member countries.
The meeting, officially opened by the Minister of Health of the United Republic of Tanzania, brought together senior health officials from across the region. Key discussions focused on strengthening regional health systems and advancing coordinated approaches to addressing shared health priorities.
A key agenda item was maternal, newborn, and child health, with participants reviewing strategies to accelerate efforts to reduce maternal, newborn, and child mortality and expand access to quality healthcare services, particularly essential and primary healthcare services.
The meeting also held in-depth discussions on prevention, preparedness, and response to infectious disease outbreaks, with emphasis on strengthening national capacities and regional collaboration to collectively prevent, detect, and respond to public health emergencies arising from infectious diseases.
In addition, participants discussed domestic health financing, emphasizing the importance of increasing domestic investment in health to build sustainable health systems and reduce reliance on external financing.
Immunization was also among the key priorities discussed. Participants emphasized accelerating the implementation of the African Union’s continental immunization strategy, particularly efforts to reach zero-dose children and vulnerable communities that face barriers to accessing essential health services.
During the meeting, Somalia underscored the importance of strengthening health sovereignty and self-reliance across African countries through investments in domestic capacities, increased health financing, and stronger regional and continental coordination and collaboration.
Somalia’s participation in the meeting reflects the Ministry of Health and Social Services’ continued commitment to regional cooperation, strengthening national health system capacities, and contributing to collective efforts to address shared public health priorities across Africa.
