The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) successfully convened a Regional Workshop on the Harmonisation of Specialised Nursing and Midwifery Training Curricula for ECOWAS Member States, held from 23 to 28 February 2026 in Cotonou, Republic of Benin.
Organised within the framework of the mandate entrusted to WAHO by the Assembly of Health Ministers of ECOWAS Member States, the workshop represents a major step towards strengthening health workforce capacity and deepening regional integration through standardised, high-quality specialised training programmes.
The primary objective of the meeting was to harmonise the specialised training curricula for nurses and midwives across the ECOWAS region. Specifically, participants worked to align and validate curriculum modules and finalise a harmonised educational framework that meets international standards and best practices.
The workshop brought together representatives from Ministries of Higher Education, Regional Council of Health Professional Education (RCHPE), the African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES), deans of faculties of health sciences, professional colleges, regulatory bodies, academic institutions, as well as WAHO’s technical team and regional experts.
At the end of the workshop, participants successfully aligned and validated the specialised curriculum modules, finalised a harmonised pedagogical architecture, and consolidated the foundations of a common regional framework for specialised nursing and midwifery training (Masters’, PhD and Fellowship training) across ECOWAS Member States.
These outcomes constitute a significant milestone in the regional harmonisation process and are expected to contribute to improved quality of training, strengthened specialised competencies, enhanced professional mobility within ECOWAS, and ultimately better healthcare delivery for populations across the region.
The next steps will include the technical finalisation of the documents, institutional validation, progressive implementation at Member State level, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation of impact.