The 71st Health Ministers’ Conference, Best Practice Forum and Directors’ Joint Consultative Committee meeting in Lesotho

East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) ) and the Kingdom of Lesotho welcomes you to the 71st Health Ministers’ Conference (HMC). The conference will take place from February 8th to 9th, 2023 at Avani Lesotho Hotel and Casino ,Maseru- the Kingdom of Lesotho.

The conference will be preceded by , the 13th Best Practice Forum (BPF) and the 29th Directors’ Joint Consultative Committee meeting from February 5th to 7th ,2023.

This year’s theme is “Stronger health system post COVID-19 for attainment of universal health coverage in the ECSA Region.” The conference aims to address the challenges and opportunities that the Covid-19 pandemic has presented to the healthcare system and to discuss strategies for building a stronger and more resilient healthcare system in the ECSA region.

We invite all healthcare professionals and organizations to join us at the conference and contribute to the discussions on improving healthcare in the region.

Visit the tabs below for more details and registration:

Annoucement & Documents

Documents

Presentations New!

Programme of the event

Travel and logistics

Traveling into Lesotho

Flights into Maseru are routed through Moshoeshoe International Airport (MSU). International airlines flying to Maseru are South African Airways and Airlink which
operate daily flights between Maseru and Johannesburg. The airport is located about 18kms away from Maseru CBD.

Airport Shuttle arrangements

For Honorable Ministers and officials from the Ministries of Health, arrangements have been made to meet you on your arrival at the Moshoeshoe International Airport.

Please send your travel itineraries/air ticket to the Secretariat for logistical arrangements.

If there will be any change to your incoming flights please notify the Secretariat on email: doid@ecsahc.org and copy to regsec@ecsahc.org in good time before departure.

For self-sponsored participants, you are advised to arrange taxi pick-up in advance as often there are no taxis at the airport.

VISA/Other travel arrangements

For most East, Central and Southern Africa member states, a visa is not required for entering Lesotho. However, it is advisable to contact the nearest Lesotho Embassy for inquiries.

Entry Requirements

Your passport validity must at least be six (6) months. You must have at least 2 blank pages in your passport when you present it at immigration to enter or leave Lesotho.

Travel and public health screening requirements for arrivals and departures:

Arriving Travellers:

Will be required to fill out self-declaration forms
Will be subjected to public health screening
If detected ill, will be referred to the point of entry (PoE) clinic for secondary screening/assessment
If suspected of having COVID-19, rapid antigen testing will be performed
In case of COVID-19 or any upper respiratory infection, the traveller will be required to wear a mask and take all necessary precautions
If seriously ill, the traveller will be referred to the hospital for further management

Departing Travellers:

Will need to meet the requirements of the receiving country
Travellers departing to malaria endemic countries will need to have malaria prophylaxis or be advised on appropriate preventive measures
Travellers departing to yellow fever endemic countries will need to have a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate or be advised on the vaccination requirements of their destination

As of August 22nd, 2022, COVID-19 vaccination is no longer a travel requirement, but travelers can choose to get vaccinated at the PoE.

Please also note that for more information on travel requirements, including detailed information on arrivals and departures, you can view the travel requirements for Lesotho at this link: https://ecsahc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/TRAVEL-REQUIREMENTS-_-LESOTHO.pdf.

Medical Information

The conference organizers will provide first aid services to participants for minor ailments during the meeting. Participants are advised to ensure they have adequate medical insurance coverage, covering travel time and the entire duration of the meeting, against costs arising out of sickness, accidents, temporary or permanent disability, death and third-party risk.

Currency

The official currency of Lesotho is the Loti (plural: Maloti). Lesotho is a member of the Southern African Common Monetary Area, and as such the Loti is pegged 1:1 to the South African Rand (ZAR). Both the Loti and Rand are legal tender in Lesotho. Currency Exchange facilities are available at the commercial banks and Bureau de Change.A Visa or MasterCard can also be used to access money from ATMs and for paying hotel bills. It is always advisable to carry local currency for shopping, eateries and local transport.

Venue & Accommodation

The meeting will be held at the Avani Lesotho Hotel and Casino. This incredible hotel is located in the capital of Lesotho and offers panoramic views of the Maseru city centre.The hotel offers complimentary high-speed internet for all guests so you can always stay connected with your life at work and at home. The negotiated rate for Bed and Breakfast for delegates to this meeting is M2,400

Honorable Ministers and senior officials from the member states are booked at the Avani Lesotho Hotel. Our partners and other delegates are encouraged to book
accommodation at the venue as it will save the cost of daily transport.

You can book directly with:

Avani Lesotho Hotel & Casino
Hilton Road, Maseru, Lesotho
Contact Person: Maleshoane Mocheba
Phone: +266 2224 3000
Email: lesotho@avanihotels.com

Other recommended accommodation

Hokahanye Inn and Conference
Contact person: Busisiwe
Phone:+266 22310488
Email: bookings@kick4life.org
Rate pp per night: M871.22

Black Swan Guest House
Contact Person: Makhotso
Phone: +266 58991662
Email: boeti@blackswan.co.ls
Rate pp per night: M790
Rondavels:M900

Lancers Inn
Contact Person: Nthatisi
Phone: +266 22312114
Email: info@lancersinn.co.ls
Rate pp per night: M2,150

Mohokare Guest House
Contact Person: Alina
Phone: +266 22314442
Email: reception@mohokare.co.ls
Rate pp per night: M890
Luxury: M1,040
Chalet: M1,200

Tribute Guest House
Contact Person: Lebohang
Phone: +266 2232 5356
Email: info@tributelesotho.com
Rate pp per night: M710

Registration

<a href="https://cosecsa.wufoo.com/forms/s3nm2it0xoyhfe/">Fill out my Wufoo form!</a>
Onsite registration will be conducted on Monday 5th February 2023 from 07:30 –10:00 hours and on Thursday 8th February 2023 from 07:30 – 10:00 hours.

Contacts

ECSA-HC Secretariat

Accommodations