Date: 2017-11-22 09:13:28 ID: 1764
Freetown, Sierra Leone – The West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) organised for the fourth time the annual review of national programmes for mother, new-born, adolescent and child health (MNACH). This fourth edition was held from 16 to 18 November 2017 in Freetown, Sierra Leone and it brought together 33 national MNACH programme representatives, technical partners and professional bodies.
The opening ceremony was chaired by the Deputy Minister of health and sanitation of Sierra Leone, in the presence of Dr Kofi BUSIA, representing the Director General of WAHO, and Dr Riad Mahmud of the UNFPA Country office, representing partners, and a WAHO team comprising professionals, project and programme coordinators.
The highlights of the workshop were: 
An overview of implementation of the recommendations of the review session held in Dakar in 2016; Progress made in the implementation of MNACH programmes, the challenges and the 2018 work plan of ECOWAS member countries; The presentation of priority activities of the various MNACH partners and their plans to support countries in 2018. Thus, the WAHO activities for MNACH in 2018, those of Médecins du Monde France, Population Council, and the Ouagadougou partnership were presented; The presentation of activities and innovative strategies in MNACH in the sub-region. Thus, the WAHO Guide of Adolescent and Youth Health, the experience of promoting evidence-based data and its application in the drafting of documents, the DEMSAN project and the update of WHO-WA-STI on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the challenges in attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC) were presented; The identification of priority activities to be implemented 2018 as well as the need for support to improve the MNACH in ECOWAS.
It was observed that the challenges facing the health sector and specifically MNACH ‘are closely linked to those in the other sectors of development of our countries’. It was therefore recommended that the health system in its entirety should be taken into account through the development of integrated strategies and interventions. The involvement of the other development sectors will ensure the attainment of efficient and more rapid results.
The monitoring of stillbirths, as a quality indicator of the monitoring of pregnancy and delivery should also be integrated into the list of indicators for the next MNACH review sessions.
At the end of the review, recommendations way addressed to WAHO, countries and partners.
WAHO is to: Carry out advocacy for the regular joint organisation of the review of SRMNIA Advocate for the participation in the review of all partners involved in SRMNIA Involve countries in the preparation of the review Identify key monitoring indicators for the joint SRMNIA review Undertake advocacy among Heads of State for them to take into account the multi-sector nature of the SRMNIA
The major recommendation to countries was for them to ensure implementation of the recommendations arising from the review session.
For technical and financial partners, they are to continue providing technical and financial support countries for the implementation of SRMNIA plans, while aligning with national plans.
The review session came to close on a note of satisfaction expressed by everyone. The host country, the participating countries and partners all expressed satisfaction for the holding of the review session.
The country representatives pointed out the importance of this review for monitoring the SDG indicators in the various countries and thanked WAHO for the beautiful initiative.
The representative of technical and financial partners reaffirmed their will to support countries, and suggested to WAHO to increase the number TFPs, if necessary, for the next review sessions.
The Director of the WAHO department of primary healthcare, Dr Kofi Busia, who represented the DG of WAHO, thanked participants and all partners for their presence and active participation in the review session. He reassured the house that the recommendations from the review session will be implemented.