US visitors in town to talk health
By Tabisa Mntengwana
16 September 2009
DELEGATES from Buffalo City's American sister city are in town to discuss health issues, heritage and economic development.
The visitors arrived in Buffalo City on Sunday night, 13 September and met Executive Mayor Zukisa Faku in the mayoral parlour on Monday to discuss health plans, heritage preservation and economic development strategies.
Buffalo's international relations and development co-operation manager, Darby Gounden, opened the meeting. "This visit is to explore further opportunities between the collaboration of Milwaukee County and Buffalo City Municipality, which looks at various sectors that are core to both municipalities."
Expressing her appreciation for the visit, Faku said: "The City is grateful to have these delegates visiting for four days to promote international relations and exchange of culture and knowledge, and building of economic alliances."
In response, Lee Holloway, the chairman of the Milwaukee county board said: "Our intentions are purely to strengthen the relationship we have with Buffalo City."
The Milwaukee delegation is in town until Thursday, 17 September. The partnership between the cities was formed in January 2008.
Giving a presentation of its health plan, Mark Anderson, from the Milwaukee Centre for International Health, said: "We want to have programmes set aside to promote better health care facilities, better ways of dealing with HIV/Aids and exchange of health students."
Other issues that were discussed included the food aid partnership between the two cities that was formed in October 2008.
Milwaukee sent four million packs of food relief, containing soya and vegetable blend, to Buffalo City. The food security programme was set up to provide ready prepared food servings, so saving the time and effort of preparing the food.
"The project will also focus on prevalent malnutrition and demonstrations of the better health benefits of improved food intake," said Anderson.
Gounden added: "The aid will help provide for malnourished toddlers and children under the age of five years and the food relief is expected to support 20 000 beneficiaries for a period of about six months."
The delegates wrapped up the day with a visit to the harbour for a boat ride and a welcome dinner at La Terreraza Restaurant on the Esplanade. Delegates will also meet heads of departments from Walter Sisulu University and management from the East London Hospital Complex to discuss its health plan.
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