Date: 2017-12-07 18:28:53 ID: 1779

A delegation from the WAEMU Commission led by the Commissioner of the Department of Human Development, Professor Filiga Michel SAWADOGO, undertook a working visit to the Headquarters of WAHO, on 7 December 2017. The WAEMU mission comprised Dr Mahamane HAMIDINE, Director of Health, Social Protection and Mutual Insurance, and Dr Carmellle HOUNNOU, Head of Unit for the Medicines Regulation Harmonisation and Cooperation.

Welcomed by The Director General of WAHO, Dr Xavier CRESPIN, accompanied by the Deputy Director General, Dr Laurent ASSOGBA, Heads of Department and Programme Directors, the WAEMU representation came to Bobo-Dioulasso to strengthen collaboration between the two Institutions in the area of health.

At the opening of discussions, the Director General of WAHO, after welcoming the delegation, expressed satisfaction about the working visit, which testifies to the quality of partnership between the two Institutions. First of all, Dr Xavier CRESPIN congratulated Prof Filiga SAWADOGO for his appointment to the position of WAEMU Commissioner of the Department for Human Development. He expressed the wish that this new responsibility would be crowned with success. Similarly, he noted the regularity and readiness of Dr Mahamane HAMIDINE in undertaking WAHO activities, in the same way as there is diversity and quality in the interactions of WAHO together with WAEMU in the pharmaceutical sector with Dr Carmelle HOUNNOU.

Furthermore, Dr Xavier CRESPIN commended the dynamism in the partnership between the two institutions and wished that this cooperation would be intensified for the benefit of the african people. In addition, the Director General of WAHO mentioned the latest developments in his institution, characterised by the current restructuring of the Departments to bring about greater efficiency. He also mentioned the implementation of the 2016-2020 strategic plan, 13 programmes of which have often been implemented from the perspective of synergy and complementarity with top partners, including WAEMU.

Responding, the WAEMU Commissioner of the Department for Human Development, Prof Filiga Michel SAWADOGO, first of all noted the warm welcome given to his delegation, before pointing out the commitment of the Director General of WAHO to all matters of health contributing to the improvement of the living conditions of the people in the community. It is within this framework, said Prof SAWADOGO, that WAHO and WAEMU chose to pool their efforts and resources in order to guarantee the people quality healthcare and access to universal health coverage. These were the reasons behind the existence, since 2006, of a cooperation agreement between the two institutions.

During the deliberations, delegates from the two institutions examined several issues, including the status of implementation of the decisions taken during the working visit of the WAEMU Commission to the WAHO Headquarters in 2016, the consideration of the Medicines Harmonisation Regulations project in West Africa, submitted to NEPAD by the two institutions, the joint meeting of the Directors of NRIS/IDSR and partners; and finally, the guidelines and recommendations towards strengthening collaboration between the two institutions.

At the end of the discussions, the two institutions, after recognising the relevance of their deliberations, decided to strengthen their partnership in the following areas: Improve the production of medicines, collaborate in the area of disease management, ensure the promotion of specialised centres for cancer management and, finally, ensure adequate funding for health at country-level.

Moctar TRAORE, PO/Communication