Health in Angola

The Ministry of Health, Ministério da Saúde (MINSA), leads the public system. Routine care, prevention, examinations, treatment, medicines, follow-up and referral are provided through a formal three-level structure, but the practical pathway depends on the facility and province. A primary-care facility may refer someone to a municipal or provincial hospital, and more complex cases may require referral to a national hospital. Private, faith-based and NGO providers can supplement public services, but their availability, fees, quality controls and referral arrangements differ. Preventive care includes routine vaccinations through the Programa Alargado de Vacinação (PAV), mobile teams and campaigns. Recent national data for 2023–2024 recorded basic vaccination coverage for 42% of children under two, with about 25% coverage in rural areas, so vaccination records and the current campaign schedule should be checked locally. Maternal, newborn and child care is available through primary centres and hospitals; 62% of births in 2023–2024 took place in a health facility. Qualified birth assistance and rapid referral matter because distance, transport and limited staff can delay care. Chronic malnutrition affected about 40% of children in 2025, while acute malnutrition affected 5.2% of children aged 6–59 months; nutrition services and ready-to-use therapeutic food depend on the programme and location. Malaria is endemic in Angola. In 2024, the country recorded more than seven million cases and approximately 11,000 deaths, with children and pregnant women at particular risk. Fever should be tested promptly with microscopy or a rapid diagnostic test; public-sector diagnosis and treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapy are reported as free in the WHO profile. Insecticide-treated nets and other prevention measures reduce risk, while severe symptoms require hospital care. Self-medication can delay correct diagnosis and treatment. National services also provide HIV testing, antiretroviral treatment and prevention of mother-to-child transmission through the Instituto Nacional de Luta contra a SIDA (INLS) and partner-supported facilities. The 2024 WHO Angola report recorded antiretroviral coverage of 50% among people living with HIV and 27% among children, with regional differences in access and medicine supply. Tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment are provided through designated units and laboratories under the Programa Nacional de Controlo da Tuberculose (PNCT), but only 289 of 3,336 health facilities provided tuberculosis services in 2023. This makes the current location of a TB service and any required referral worth confirming before travelling. Medicine availability and continuity vary by region and facility. The national medicines list and regulation by ARMED support formal supply controls, but a 2022 assessment placed Angola's regulatory maturity at level ML1, with a target of ML3 by 2027. Use registered suppliers, check the generic name, packaging and expiry date, and keep a reserve and prescription or treatment record for long-term medicines. Do not share medicines with another person. Mental-health services are integrated into the national public-health structure, and the number of formal units increased from 184 to 202 between 2013 and 2024. Stigma, distance and unequal access remain barriers, while psychosocial and NGO services may provide functional support outside the public network. Hypertension, diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases require screening, diagnosis, laboratory checks, long-term medicines and regular reviews, often through a Centro de Saúde or hospital. Continuity can be interrupted by travel distance, out-of-pocket payments, medicine shortages or unavailable tests. During a consultation, provide symptoms, allergies, pregnancy status, previous conditions and current medicines. Ask for the diagnosis, treatment instructions, warning signs, return date and referral plan, and keep discharge papers and medicine records. In a life-threatening emergency, go to the nearest suitable hospital or emergency department and arrange transport immediately; a reliable nationwide clinical ambulance number is not established in the available evidence. Angola's legal framework recognises state responsibility for access within available human, technical and financial resources, but there is no reliable current nationwide fee schedule. Public malaria diagnosis and treatment and vaccination campaigns may be free, while other charges, transport costs, waiting times and medicine costs must be confirmed with the specific facility.