We Will Support West-Africa Centre For Disease Control – FG

The Federal Government has renewed its commitment to support the West Africa Centre for Disease Control (WACDC) to enhance disease surveillance system in the region.

The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, made this known at the opening ceremony of the 18th ECOWAS Assembly of Health Ministers in Abuja on Friday.

Osinbajo said that access to healthcare remained a significant problem in the region and called for more efforts to control communicable and emerging health challenges in West Africa.

He urged ECOWAS member states to ensure that the region was always prepared and not to be taken unaware by any outbreak of diseases that would lead to colossal loss of lives in the region.

“Member states should ensure that no effort is left out in ensuring a resilient health system in the region’’, stressing that Nigeria remained committed to the aspirations of the regional centre for disease control.

The acting president however noted that key to shortening the journey to a resilient health system in ECOWAS was a greater commitment to the mandate of the regional centre and leverage on technology.

Osinbajo commended the leadership of WAHO for living up to its noble objectives in ensuring a sound health system for the African region.

The Chairman of the Assembly of Health Ministers and Health Minister of Togo, Mr Mustafa Mijiyawa, said the body would consider and review health situation in the region and take decisions to ensure improved health.

Mijiyawa expressed delight that the assembly would adopt the “One Health Approach’’ towards combatting diseases and outbreak of epidemics in the region.

He reminded his colleagues that synergy was required to achieve the objectives of the scheme in the region.
The chairman also appealed to Member States and partners to double support for WAHO, assuring that Togo was committed to the ideals of the organisation.