West African countries pledge stronger response to epidemics

Abidjan, Aug 19 (IANS) Experts from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have reaffirmed their commitment in Abidjan to strengthening the response to epidemics and other public health emergencies.

Health experts, representatives of member states and technical partners are participating in a four-day workshop from Tuesday, focused on the technical validation of the third Regional Strategic Plan for Epidemic Preparedness and Response and other Public Health Emergencies of the ECOWAS Regional Center for Surveillance and Disease Control (RCSDC).

“West Africa has faced health crises of exceptional magnitude in recent years,” Mamadou Samba, Cote d’Ivoire’s Director General of health, said on behalf of the country’s minister of health and public hygiene.

“No country can effectively address health emergencies on its own. Prevention, early detection and an effective response require both strong national health systems and regional coordination,” Samba said, adding that the meeting aims to strengthen health security in the sub-region by providing a new framework for action in 2027-2031, Xinhua news agency reported.

Mamadou Diarrassouba, Executive Director of the ECOWAS RCSDC, noted that the sub-region continues to face multiple health threats, including yellow fever, meningitis, cholera, measles and viral hemorrhagic fevers, which are compounded by climate change and zoonotic risks.

In June, ECOWAS had stated that it is strengthening preparedness and prevention measures to reduce the risk of Ebola virus disease being imported into West Africa.

“Even though the risk assessment shows that West Africa remains relatively spared at this stage, we must remain vigilant,” Diarrassouba said at the opening of a meeting of experts on Ebola preparedness and response strategies in Dakar, the capital of Senegal.

According to Diarrassouba, ECOWAS member states have activated their contingency plans and strengthened surveillance at airports, border posts and other strategic points of entry following the Ebola virus disease outbreak currently reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

He recalled that the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa showed that, in health security, “preparedness costs less than response,” stressing the need to act early to save lives.

The 2014-2016 outbreak, the deadliest Ebola epidemic on record, mainly affected Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, killing more than 11,000 people and placing severe strain on health systems in the region.

–IANS

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