The Financial Group of West African States (ECOWAS) has taken a serious step in strengthening well being safety throughout the area with the institution of the Technical Advisory Council (TAC) for the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Illness Management (RCSDC).
This initiative goals to reinforce illness surveillance, emergency preparedness, and coordinated response to public well being threats in West Africa.
The inaugural workshop, held in Abuja on Tuesday, introduced collectively public well being consultants, group leaders, and key stakeholders, together with representatives of the World Well being Organisation (WHO) and the Federal Ministry of Well being and Social Welfare.
Talking on the occasion, the Govt Director of the ECOWAS RCSDC, Mamadou Diarrassouba emphasised the urgency of strengthening well being programs in gentle of latest outbreaks within the area.
Mr Diarrassouba, who was represented by a member of the fee, Sani Adamu stated the Ebola outbreak and the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the necessity for sturdy well being programs, efficient surveillance, and swift illness management.
“In response, the ECOWAS authority established the RCSDC to determine, assess, and reply to well being threats,” he stated.
“To assist this mandate, a Technical Advisory Council (TAC) has been created to supply scientific and technical steering, making certain that the centre’s programmes are evidence-based and aligned with regional and world well being priorities.”
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He famous that the institution of the council is an important step in strengthening well being safety in West Africa, urging members to collaborate, share experience, and make sure the ECOWAS RCSDC is supplied with the newest technical information.
State of Healthcare in Africa
Africa’s healthcare system proceed to face challenges, from insufficient infrastructure and shortages of expert professionals to restricted entry to important medical companies.
Whereas progress has been made in increasing healthcare protection, many international locations nonetheless battle with fragile programs unable to reply successfully to illness outbreaks and different public well being emergencies.
The continent bears the best world burden of public well being crises, with over 100 main well being emergencies reported yearly. Outbreaks reminiscent of Ebola, COVID-19, Sudan Virus Illness (SVD), and Marburg have highlighted the pressing want for stronger surveillance, preparedness, and response mechanisms.
On the similar time, the rising prevalence of non-communicable illnesses (NCDs) reminiscent of diabetes, hypertension, and most cancers proceed to put extra pressure on already overstretched healthcare programs.
Recognising these challenges, African governments and regional our bodies like ECOWAS have intensified efforts to strengthen well being safety. Collaborations with worldwide organisations, together with the WHO and the Africa Centres for Illness Management and Prevention (Africa CDC), additionally play a vital position in enhancing emergency response capabilities.
Well being Reforms
On the occasion, the Coordinating Minister of Well being and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate highlighted the essential position of regional collaboration and coverage reforms in enhancing well being safety throughout West Africa.
Mr Pate, who was represented by the Director Common of the Nigeria Centre for Illness Management and Prevention (NCDC), Jide Idris, pressured that classes from previous public well being crises, notably the Ebola epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic, have made it clear that public well being safety transcends nationwide borders.
“The sweeping impacts of local weather change, speedy urbanisation, recurring humanitarian crises, and systemic vulnerabilities inside our well being programs have considerably amplified the dangers posed by rising and re-emerging infectious illnesses,” he stated.
“It’s a regional crucial. Our collective experiences remind us that our resilience is dependent upon the power of our shared programs, mutual belief, and our capability for speedy, coordinated motion.”
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s dedication to well being sector transformation by means of key coverage initiatives, together with the Nationwide Well being Sector Renewal Initiative Programme (NHSRIP).
He additionally highlighted the Well being Workforce Migration Coverage and nationwide methods on NCDs as essential measures to handle workforce shortages and enhance healthcare supply.
He additional pointed to the numerous enhance in budgetary allocations, notably by means of the Primary Well being Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), as proof of Nigeria’s dedication to reaching common well being protection.
He urged ECOWAS member states to undertake a unified strategy, leveraging these insurance policies and initiatives to construct a resilient regional well being system able to responding successfully to public well being challenges.
Collaboration in public well being emergencies
The WHO Regional Emergency Director, Abdou Gueye emphasised the urgent want for a coordinated response to public well being emergencies in Africa.
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Mr Gueye, who was represented by Alexander Chimbaru, famous that the African area bears the best burden of world well being crises.
He stated latest outbreaks together with SVD in Uganda, Marburg in Tanzania, and cholera, measles, yellow fever, meningitis, and Mpox throughout a number of international locations proceed to pressure fragile healthcare programs, disrupt important companies, and threaten financial stability.
He recommended the institution of TAC on the ECOWAS RCSDC, describing it as a vital step in direction of enhancing regional well being governance, surveillance, and emergency preparedness. He famous that TAC’s contributions will probably be very important in strengthening Africa’s potential to detect and reply to a number of well being threats.Reaffirming WHO’s dedication, he said that WHO Africa stays devoted to saving lives and lowering struggling throughout crises, whether or not from battle, illness outbreaks, or pure disasters.
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