EPOS’ technical assistance support to the EU-funded Angola PASS II project, which aims contribute to improved health conditions of the population, will be extended to May 2019.  To co-ordinate extension planning and recognize project accomplishments to date, EPOS Senior Finance and Contracts Manager Andrea Hahn recently met in Angola with the current project team of experts, project assistants and drivers.

Over the past several years, Angola has registered a remarkable recovery since the signature of the 2002 Peace Agreements and as a result of the implementation of post-war rehabilitation, reconstruction and development actions. Although the health sector has benefited from this positive economic recovery, namely with the construction and rehabilitation of health facilities, the improvement in nutrition indicators and the increase in the rate of vaccination against infectious diseases, the impact of oil-driven economic growth on living conditions is marginal and the social and health situation remains very critical.

The overall objective of the Angola PASS II project is to contribute to improved health conditions of the population, especially women and children, with a focus on the provinces of Huambo, Bié, Benguela, Huíla and Luanda.

In particular, the project looks to strengthen and improve the institutional capacity of the central services of the Ministry of Health to develop, improve and coordinate standards, procedures, instruments and tools in the areas of strategic and operational planning, budgeting, organization of services, monitoring and negotiation.

Additionally, the project aims to strengthen and improve the capabilities of the Ministry of Health at provincial level for planning, budgeting, organizing and managing the integrated health services in accordance with the policy of decentralization and the process of municipalisation of health services.