Coordinating Minister, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate has called on the Health Ministers from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to ensure that significant efforts are made in the sub-region to improve health outcomes for the populations.
He made this call at the opening ceremony of the 25thordinary session of the Assembly of Health Minister’s of ECOWAS held recently in Abuja with the theme “The Quality of Health Care in the ECOWAS Region, Determinants and Prospects.”
According to him, Health promotion is enhanced through “leveraging our collective strengths and resources to build resilient, equitable and sustainable quality health system that meet the needs of our people. I am confident that through our shared vision and collaborative efforts, we can overcome the challenges before us and achieve improvements in the health of our region. Together, we can build a healthier and more prosperous future for all”.
Confronted by numerous health challenges, including infections and non-communicable diseases and the recent COVID 19 pandemic, the assembly becomes a crucial platform for exchanging insights, addressing the regions’ common challenges and forging partnership that will drive impactful health care policies and practices in the region, the Minister highlighted.
He stated that “these challenges have tested our resilience while highlighting the strength of our unity and cooperation. From Ebola to the ongoing outbreaks in our sub-region, we have achieved significant milestone in our collaborative efforts in combating infectious diseases including Lassa Fever and most recently meningitis, demonstrating the power of our unity and shared purpose, yet our journey is far from complete”.
“Through the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Disease Surveillance and Control, we have strengthened our capacity to detect prevent and respond to public health threats. I am glad that today we signed an agreement with the Africa CDC to establish a regional collaborative centre which will complement, not replace, what we have in the region” Pate further stated.
The Minister asserted that the primary focus for the sub-region as articulated in the technical experts report is the fortification of our healthcare systems which should be the backbone of our societal wellbeing, encompassing not only the structure but also investing in human resources for health and integrating innovative technologies to ensure comprehensive health services are accessible.
He revealed that in pursuance of quality health care system, “We are embarking on retraining 120,000 frontline health workers currently in Nigeria and that work is already underway”, adding that achieving health objectives hinges on adequate and sustainable financing.
“We have to explore innovative financing models such as public-private partnerships and advocate for increased domestic health investments to ensure effective, pragmatic and transparent resource utilization that will lead to a safer, healthier future of the sub-region for Africa and for humanity at large”.
He stressed the need to align efforts with broader continental priorities and face challenges head-on, especially as “we prepare for the forthcoming World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva. We must present a united front as African Countries to support global efforts in addressing the threat we face”.
Earlier, the President ECOWAS, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray said that the fundamental objective of ECOWAS is not only to build an economic community of its members but to improve the living standard of the citizens hence the commission has been working assiduously to facilitate free movements of persons, goods and services across the region with recorded achievements of the abolition of visas, contraction of transport infrastructure, development of common facilities, harmonization of rules and procedures for the effective integration of the region.
While congratulating WAHO for the theme and expressing appreciation to the Government and the people of Nigeria for hosting the programme, he said that the 25thassembly of Health Ministers convened to deliberate on the quality of healthcare and its effectiveness in the region.
Dr Melchior Athanase Joel Aissi, West African Health Organisation, stressed the importance of the Assembly as a platform for taking relevant health decisions, recalling WAHO achievements in human resources and support to ensuring an effective healthcare system that would yield positive healthcare outcomes.
Dr. Rownak Kan, Deputy Representative, Programme, in The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) called on ECOWAS member states to increase resource allocation and investing in quality care to enhance and strengthen the healthcare delivery across the region.
Dr. Jean Kasenya, DG (Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC) congratulated WAHO for organizing the event at a time that would permit the Ministers of Health to United their voices and present a common front at the forthcoming World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva to ensure the promotion of quality healthcare in the region.
Deworitshe Patricia
D (Press & Public Relations)
FMOH & SW
