2017-04-12 19:01:11

Monrovia, Liberia, April 11, 2017 ' The Director General of the West African Health Organization (WAHO), Dr Xavier Crespin and a team of WAHO participated in the ECOWAS Parliament delocalized meeting on the joint committee on Health and Social services.

The five-day meeting, April 10-14, 2017, which was held in Monrovia as part of the new strategy of ECOWAS to get all involved in the affairs of the ECOWAS Parliament, is under the theme: ECOWAS Policy on combating counterfeit medical products and expired drugs: Role of the Parliament in the implementation and monitoring of the policy.

The opening ceremony was chaired on April 10, 2017 by the President of the Republic of Liberia, and Chairperson of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, Her Excellency Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

In her opening speech, Her Excellency Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf expressed her happiness and appreciation to the ECOWAS Parliament for its decision to hold its delocalized meeting of the Joint Committee on Health and Social Services / Trade, Customs and Free Movement in Monrovia. She assured the parliament of her support in their work and her interest especially in the outcome of their deliberations.

Earlier, a welcome remark was heard from the Head of Liberian Delegation of Parliamentarians to the ECOWAS Parliament, Senator George M.Weah, followed by a Statement from the Chair of the Joint Committee, Hon. Poll Sale, a Statement from the Special Representative of the President of the ECOWAS Commission in Liberia, Ambassador Tunde O. Ajisomo, a Speech by the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Liberia, Hon. Emmanuel Nuquay and a Speech by the Honorable Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Moustapha Cisse Lo.

On April 11, 2017, the ECOWAS Parliamentarians devoted the session to the West African Health Organization for better understanding of its work, vision, mission and objectives in relations to the health of the people of the sub-region, and for an insight on what WAHO is doing in the fight against counterfeit medicines and expired drugs.

Two presentations were then made; the first one, made by the WAHO/DG, Dr Xavier Crespin provided background information on WAHO as the Specialized Institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) responsible for health issues, and with special focus on the 2016-2020 Strategic Plan; and the second one titled: '??COMBATING COUNTERFEIT MEDICINES AND ILLICIT MEDICINES MARKET IN ECOWAS'?? was made by the Acting Director of the Department of Disease and Epidemic Control, Dr Carlos Brito.

At the end of the two presentations, the ECOWAS Parliamentarians unanimously expressed their great satisfaction and appreciation to WAHO for honoring the invitation and also for taking the time to provide the August House with useful information on WAHO and its roles. Nevertheless, they requested some clarifications on some issues which received response from the Director General. The issues raised included among others:

WAHO's visibility and representation in the ECOWAS member countries
WAHO's roles in the monitoring of diseases in the region
Expectation of countries for WAHO to identify and catalogue traditional medicine and recommend their use to the sub-region
Sharing of WAHO's activity report with the ECOWAS Parliament
WAHO's role in ensuring access to basic health care
WAHO's role in the fight against counterfeit medicines and expired drugs
Solidarity fund and how the fund can be accessed
The establishment of the ECOWAS Regional Center for Disease Control Some parliamentarians also encouraged WAHO to continue strengthening the quality control of laboratory, and asked WAHO to go beyond mere advocacy and get the council of Ministers and Conference of Heads of State and Government to approve the establishment of a drug production factory for the region to be managed by WAHO.

The session ended with a request on WAHO to involve more often the ECOWAS Parliament in its activities.

Article proposed by Harvey de Hardt-Kaffils
Communication Specialist

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