Posted on: Thu 27-02-2025

To ensure the actions of the Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control (RCSDC) are guided by scientific excellence and global best practices in public health, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has moved to establish a Technical Advisory Council (TAC).

To this end, the regional body has commenced the review of the mandate of the RCSDC, the epidemiological situation and the internal regulations to enable it to develop a clear and effective action plan for the TAC.

Speaking at a two-day workshop in Abuja, the Executive Director of ECOWAS RCSDC, Dr Mamadou Diarrassouba, said the meeting came at a crucial time when the region is facing numerous health challenges, exacerbated by factors such as climate change, political-social tensions, and humanitarian crises.

He noted that the impact of these factors on the region’s health systems was considerable, as demonstrated by the Ebola outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic, the repercussions of health threats could extend far beyond the health sector, disrupting economic exchanges and livelihoods within West Africa and beyond.

According to Diarrassouba, the 2024 yearly report of the ECOWAS-RCSDC highlighted the identification of 67 new outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases within ECOWAS, representing an increase of 31.37 per cent compared to 2023.

He noted that it was in the realisation of the crucial health issues in regional economic integration that the 47th Conference of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS established the RCSDC, located in Abuja, Nigeria.

The mission of the RCSDC, a specialised autonomous agency placed under the umbrella of the West African Health Organization (WAHO), is to support ECOWAS member states in strengthening their capacities to conduct effective disease surveillance, prepare for and respond to health emergencies, communicate risks, and improve their resilience to epidemic shocks within the region.

By establishing the TAC, “we are taking a strategic step to strengthen the governance of the agency, in line with the ECOWAS regulation that defines the creation and operational modalities of the RCSDC,” he said.

“The centre reaffirms its determination to accomplish its essential mission with rigour and efficiency, building on the scientific guidance and informed recommendations of the TAC. With its close collaboration with all stakeholders, RCSDC is committed to implementing strategies to strengthen prevention, detection, and response to health threats in our region,” Diarrassouba said.

In his speech, Nigeria’s Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, noted that the TAC will be a dynamic forum for the exchange of scientific knowledge and technical expertise, and its membership would comprise regional and international experts in public health.

They will play “an instrumental role in ensuring that the centre’s operations reflect the highest standards of scientific excellence and operational efficiency and provide strategic recommendations to the Executive Director and the Governing Board of the RCSDC.”

The minister, who was represented by the Director-General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, said the contributions of members of the TAC would be pivotal in “pooling critical knowledge, ensuring that our regional strategies are responsive to emerging threats, and fostering a culture of continuous innovation and collaboration across the region.”

On his part, the Director of the West African Regional Coordination Centre of Africa CDC, Dr Kokou Alinon, noted that TAC was expected to be instrumental in supporting the ECOWAS RCSDC to achieve its mandate.

He expressed the hope that members of the council would provide strategic guidance, technical expertise and support to the centre to strengthen regional health security.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER

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