The World Health Organization Regional Director for Africa (WHO-AFRO), Dr. Louis Gomes Sambo, is in the US this week meeting top international health officials and development agencies to strengthen health collaboration.

Sambo, a national of Angola, was re-elected to a second five-year term as the Regional boss last year, during the 59th Session of the organization’s meet that was held in Kigali.

According to WHO, Sambo will meet with Dr. Mirta Roses, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and other PAHO officials to discuss the work of the two regional WHO offices and areas of partnership.

"In recent years, PAHO and AFRO have worked together in areas including health systems strengthening, human resources for health, and vaccine-preventable diseases,” a WHO statement reads in part.

During the visit, he will also go to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

As a measure of further strengthening links, the medical expert will exchange ideas meet with the Global AIDS Coordinator, who oversees the U.S President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Health officials in Rwanda say that PEPFAR is one of the main partners in the national fight against HIV/AIDS.

Other AFRO members accompanying the Regional Director also include Dr. Jean Baptiste Roungou, Director, Division of Prevention & Control of Communicable Diseases and Dr. Rui Vaz, Regional Programme Manager, HIV/AIDS.

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