PREAMBLE : The 37th Annual General and Scientific Meeting of the West African College of Physicians was held at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny University Abidjan Cote d’Ivoire from 4th -8th November 2013. 

•The President His Excellency Mr. Alassane Ouattara heavly represented by the Honourable Minister for Health and Fight against HIV/ AIDS, Dr. Raymonde Goudou Coffie declared the meeting open on Monday, the 4th of November, 2013. The meeting was also graced by the representative of the Ministry of Higher Education, Prof Abouathior Mansila, the representative of the Governor of the District of Abidjan as well as the Chancellor of the Felix Houphouet-Boigny University.

•The Theme of the Conference was “Medical Practices and Emergencies in West Africa” and the Sub Themes were 

o‘’Practice of Laboratory Medicine in West Africa: Challenges and Prospects’’

o‘’Malaria: Heath challenges in West Africa” 

•About four hundred and fifty-six delegates from fourteen countries, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Conakry, Liberia, Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, South Africa, USA, Kuwait and UK attended the meeting. Presidents of sister West African Colleges and the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN) also attended. There were also delegates from the Royal College of Physicians UK, Royal College of Pathologists UK and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health London.  

•The Academic activities of the meeting included the following: 

oThe Mabayoje College Lecture, titled “Child Health in the West African Sub Region: Yesterday’s hope, Today’s realities, Tomorrow’s Agenda and this was delivered by Dr. Kikelomo Osinusi  on behalf of the Faculty of Paediatrics’. 

oThe Annual Symposium was mounted by the Faculty of Laboratory Medicine. The Theme was ’Practice of laboratory Medicine  in West Africa, Challenges and prospects”

May other Lectures were also presented among which are

•Malaria Health Challenges in West Africa

•Blood Transfusion Services in West Africa

•Controlling Hepatoma in Low and Middle income Countries

•Molecular Diagnosis of Common Infectious Diseases

oGuest lectures on the theme and subthemes of the conference were delivered.

oScientific presentations on health and health related issues

oA session was held o discuss training and examination, and certification within the College

OBSERVATIONS

1.Emergency service Delivery in the West African sub region is not well resourced and not well  co-ordinated.

2.There is still an unacceptably high level of Under Five Mortality in the West African sub Region compared to the rest of the world.

3.The high under-5 mortality is due to the failure of the primary health care services due to poor staffing and a lack of essential medications and infrastructure, 

4.There is a need to improve the Transfusion services in the West African Sub Region. 

5.There is an inadequate use of diagnostic laboratory services in medical practice and very little progress in Molecular Diagnostic capacity in West Africa 

6.There is a need to streamline training across all institutions and ensure adequate supervision and mentoring of trainees within the programme. It was also thought that there was a need to improve on communication between the college and trainees in all institutions.

RECOMMENDATIONS 

General: To build and sustain the capacity to adequately manage Emergencies in the sub region, including laboratory services. 

Recommendations to Governments

1.The Government should provide Resources and ensure accessible emergency services throughout the Sub Region.

2.Governments should ensure greater political will and stronger commitment to improving child health beyond mere rhetorics.

3.Mass recruitment of and training laboratory physicians as well as adequate equipping of the Medical Laboratories in Conjunction with the Laboratory Physicians. 

4.There is a need to ensure adequate and safe Blood Transfusion Services in the sub region. s

RESOLUTIONS 

The West African College of Physicians reaffirms its commitment to:

1.Human capital development in the health sector for appropriate health care delivery.

2.Specifically, supporting the efforts of manpower development in the Health Sector in all of its member states. 

3.The promotion of the health of the people of the West African sub-region.

4.Playing an advisory and consultative role to the Governments in the planning and the delivery of health services in the sub- region.

5.The fulfilment of financial obligations to the College by the constituent governments of the West African sub region.

6.The provision of infrastructural facilities for the running of the various Chapters of the College by various constituent governments in their respective countries.