By Hassan Zaggi
All is set for the 13 ECOWAS ministers of health to meet in Abuja today to discuss health related issues bordering the region.
The Director General of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), Prof. Stanley Okolo, will officially declare the meeting open.
There has been series of meeting of health experts in the region since November 11 in preparation for the ministers meeting on Friday.
The ECOWAS Assembly of Health Ministers is a statutory body established by Article 5 of the Protocol of Establishment of the West African Health Organisation, (WAHO). It is composed of Ministers of Health of the 45 Member States and meets once a year in ordinary session.
At the meeting, the ECOWAS Ministers of Health will approve the annual report of the Director General of WAHO on the activities of the year 2020, make decisions on matters that are presented to them and make recommendations on all matters of interest to the health of the population of the region.
Earlier, while speaking at the opening ceremony of the meeting of health experts, the Prof. Okolo, applauded the Nigerian government hosting the meeting within a short notice.
He informed the health experts that COVID-19 pandemic-related challenges to the health systems’ infrastructure and the associated psychosocial impact necessitates a special meeting of the Heads of the National Public Health institutes, (NPHIs) and the Heads of COVID-19 Vaccine Taskforces.
In addition, the DG highlighted WAHO’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic including mobilizing political support; coordinating the regional response; supporting countries with various critical protective and laboratory supplies including the procurement of approximately one million locally manufactured antigen and anti-body RDTs for Member States at a significantly subsidized cost price of about $2.
Expected outcomes from other meetings, according to a statement by the organisers, include the development of WAHO’s 2030 Vision which is spearheaded by the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) and will replace the defunct 2016-2020 strategic plan.
The new 2030 strategy will create a roadmap for WAHO to effectively respond to public health emergencies and the delivery of routine public health services in ECOWAS member states.
