Health sovereignty depends on risk reduction and cannot exist without addressing issues related to water, the environment, and food security, emphasized the Minister of Health and Social Protection, Khalid Ait Taleb, during a panel discussion held on Thursday in Marrakech.

Speaking at a panel organized as part of the 2nd African Conference on Health Risk Reduction, with the theme “Risk Reduction and Tomorrow’s Ecosystems: The African Equation and South-South Cooperation”, Ait Taleb underscored that health is a central concern that will soon face significant challenges. He noted that risk reduction is a multidisciplinary endeavor, requiring alignment among various public policies.

These challenges, including the various mutations observed in the field, particularly those associated with technological advancements, have repercussions on the scope and cost of healthcare. Ait Taleb explained that no health insurance or public financing in the future will be able to fully cover healthcare expenses.

Technology is transforming the healthcare profession, he added, highlighting that future medicine will be personalized and will rely more on genomics and metabolomics, hence the importance of a shared vision and resilience in the face of health risks.

In this regard, the Minister argued that the African continent must take proactive measures, foster greater convergence, and become a trailblazer in social protection to mitigate such challenges, stating that “Africa’s time has come.”

Placed under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, this three-day conference is organized at the initiative of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and the Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Fishing, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, in collaboration with the African Global Health (AGH) association.

The program includes a series of roundtable discussions focusing on natural disasters, food security, global warming, and natural resources and their exploitation.

Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse