LUSAKA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Health officials from Zambia and Botswana on Friday held talks here to find ways of collaborating on health issues.
Zambia's Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya said countries in Africa need to invest in health security, noting that some epidemics such as Ebola are capable of causing a country's economic collapse within the shortest period of time.
Disease surveillance systems and disease intelligence systems needed to be on full alert, he said when meeting with visiting officials from Botswana's Ministry of Health and Wellness.
The Zambian government was building its capacity to respond to epidemics, Chilufya said.
The delegation from Botswana paid the visit to learn from Zambia regarding its current health system, public health management and epidemic management, said team leader Virginia Letstati.
She said they have so far learned a lot from the Zambian side, which will help Botswana to upgrade its healthcare and relevant systems.
The visit came as Zambia last month announced it has been able to halt its cholera epidemic, which broke out last year.
