e d i o n o e - organisation ouest africaine de la santé professionals internship programme (ypip)...
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I N T H I S I S S u eI N T H I S I S S u e
WAHO resumes 2013 activities with a focus on wider access
to HIV treatment
Partnership:Key Deliverables Completed as WA-LEAD Project Winds Up
Young Professionals Internship Program (YPIP)
Induction Training of the 9th Batch.
quarterly
electroNic editioNN° 000 JaNuary - March 2013
Editor-in-Chief: Director General of WAHO: Dr Placido M. CARDOSO Technical Coordinator: DDG/WAHO assisted by D/DRHIS and D/DPTA
Editors: Kayode EGBELEYE , Moctar TRAORE Editing: Moctar TRAORE Proofreading / Correction: Dr KAMBOU Stanislas, Mr Zouma Salifou
Dr BRITO Carlos, Dr Kofi BUSIA Translation: Waholingua Electronic Dissemination: ZONGO Mahamadi
Contact: [email protected] / Site Web: www.wahooas.org
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E d i t o r ’ s N o t e
N°000 JANVIER - MARS 2013N°000 JANVIER - MARS 2013
WAHO is pleased to share with you
this maiden issue of our Newsletter
for the year 2013
“Share it!” This phrase sums up our ambition in gene-
ral and particularly in the disseminating information,
because it is on this basis that we can share successes
and challenges in the health sector in the ECOWAS
region and learn from each other.
Our organization remains committed to improving
health and positively changing the lives of people in
the ECOWAS region. With our key focus on regional
integration, we are working closely with the public and private sectors in ECOWAS
Member States, and also key partners in the region to address key issues which are
impediments to good health and nutrition.
From this point of view, our Newsletter is one of the available means through which
we would regularly provide useful information on important developments in the
health, nutrition and related sectors within our region and promote better understan-
ding of our institution’s mission and activities at national, regional and international
levels.
It is my fervent hope this Newsletter will be sustained through regular and rich contri-
butions from ECOWAS Member States, health experts from within and outside
WAHO, and our numerous partners.
Please feel free to share this Newsletter. We would also appreciate your comments,
suggestions and contribution to future quarterly editions.
Dr Plácido M. CARDOSO
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2013 WAHO Official Resumption of Activities
The West African Health
Organisation (WAHO) has
officially resumed its 2013
activities with an official ceremony
held on 16 January 2013. The cere-
mony was which was chaired by the
Governor of the Upper Basin Region
of Burkina Faso, Nebilma Joseph
Bakouan, was also attended by staff
members of the institution, several
guests with the participation via Visio
conference of Sra Dra Maria Cristina
Fontes LIMA, the Minister of Health
of Cape Verde Dr. Sylvester
Anemana, the Chief Director of
Administrative Services at the Ghana
Ministry of Health, Dr. Yaw Adu
Gyamfi, Executive Director of
DANADAMS Pharmaceutical
Company, Accra, Ghana, Mr.
Mamadou Diallo, UNAIDS Regional
Director, Dakar, Senegal.
The professional resumption ceremo-
ny was intended to take stock of acti-
vities carried out in 2012 and share
with partners perspectives for the
coming twelve months. It was also an
opportunity to promote a central
theme and moreover to strengthen
WAHO’s visibility.
The theme for 2013 is “Fight against
HIV/AIDS and Sustainable
Development: The Contribution of
the Private Sector to the Local
Production of Anti-Retroviral (ARVs)
“
In his welcome address, WAHO’s
Director General, Dr. Plácido
Cardoso, observed that despite all the
efforts made to prevent and contain
the outbreak of epidemics including
HIV/AIDS in the ECOWAS region,
the health situation of the population
remained fragile in 2012.
He deplored the absence of common
health policies and norms, and conti-
nued armed conflicts which have
negatively impacted the quality of
health care to communities and espe-
cially people affected by HIV. He said
“Even when we are yet to find lasting
solutions to these, we still need to
develop initiatives to promote harmo-
nized health policies and explore
innovative options that will enable the
region to achieve better health for all
and guarantee sustainable human
development”
Dr. Placido Cardoso reiterated the
institution’s commitment to conti-
nuously playing a key role in the pur-
suit of the highest possible level of
health for the people of West Africa. «
The achievement of this ideal will
depend on strengthening the joint
efforts of Member States, the ECO-
WAS Commission as well as Technical
and Financial Partners » he concluded.
In his presentation, the Professional
Officer in charge of HIV/AIDS, Dr.
Carlos Brito gave an overview of the
epidemiological situation of
HIV/AIDS in the ECOWAS region
where HIV prevalence rates in 2011
fluctuated between 0.7 % and 3.9 %
with Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Ghana
being the most affected.
Dr. Brito said that as at 2011, more
than 2,000,000 people in the ECO-
WAS region were in need of Anti
retroviral therapy. He opined that
relying on imported medicine makes it
nearly impossible to
offer access to HIV
treatment to the
increasing West
African population
who currently need it.
According to Dr
Brito, the local pro-
duction of Anti-
Retroviral (ARVs)
drugs locally in the
region would drive
down costs and
increase access to
treatment thus hel-
ping to address the
problem of frequent
ARVs stock-outs in
the region.
In 2010, the WAHO supported
DANADAMS Pharmaceutical
Company in Accra, Ghana and
EVANS Pharmaceutical Company in
Lagos Nigeria to produces antiretrovi-
ral drugs for the benefit of the
Gambia, Togo and Benin.
In closing the ceremony, the
Governor of the Upper Basin Region
Mr. Joseph Nebilma Bakouan praised
WAHO’s efforts and hoped that this
fifth resumption ceremony which
marks the official launch of 2013 acti-
vities will further strengthen the insti-
tution’s comparative advantage in
West African countries.
Special Focus on Wider Access to Anti retrovial Treatment
From Left : WAHO’s Director-General, Dr. Placido
Cardoso, Governor of Hauts Bassins, M. Nebilma Joseph
Bakouan and WAHO’s Deputy Director General, Dr.
Jeanetta K. Johnson at the ceremony.
Young Professionals Internship Programme (YPIP)
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Nearly a month after the official passing
out of interns of the Eighth set, the
ninth batch of participants in the young
professionals internship program (YPIP) started
their induction with an orientation meeting that
took place at WAHO’s Guest House (Centre d’ac-
cueil de l’OOAS) on January 23, 2013.
The meeting which officially marks the starting
point of a year-long learning process was
presided over by the Deputy Director General of
WAHO in the presence of officials of the Division
of Human Resources for Health Development and
staff of the institution.
The Young Professionals Internship Program that
began in 2005, as a joint initiative of WAHO and its
partners (USAID/AWARE), aiming to contribute to
capacity building in the region through the training
of young professionals from ECOWAS Member
States. It focuses primarily on promoting training in
specific technical areas, the development of skills
transfer, involvement of the Ministries of Health
and Education, the use of sub-regional Centres of
Excellence and vocational integration of students
and trainees.
The Deputy Director General of WAHO at the
orientation meeting of the 9th batch of YPIP.
The training should also enable them to exercise
proper understanding of Leadership and
Management Principles in the sub-region and a have
a good kno- wledge of Administration and National
Health programs. Eventually, the training will fur-
ther strengthen their skills in their basic vocational
training and promote the skills of mentors from
participating Regional Organizations and Institutes.
This ninth set of YPIPs is composed of 15 students
from the 15 ECOWAS countries. Admitted after a
rigorous selection process, the training will last
twelve months divided into six stages and
cover topics of importance chosen according
to the needs of the West African region. These
areas relate to primary health care and disease
control, development of human resources,
planning and technical assistance, health mana-
gement, reproductive health and family plan-
ning, HIV-AIDS, principles of organizational
administration, etc.
These courses are designed to provide the trai-
nees with practical skills and experience for a
sustainable management of health problems in
the sub-region. During this period, the theore-
tical training received by beneficiaries is com-
plemented by hands- on field projects and
internships in partner institutions. The orientation
meeting organised for them was an opportunity for
the trainees to acquaint themselves with WAHO’s
staff and programs and to better understand the
training conditions.
The Deputy Director General, who chaired the mee-
ting congratulated all the successful interns selected
from a myriad of applicants. She then encouraged
them to be the ambassadors of their respective
countries and of WAHO in whichever country they
are assigned to. She thanked the trainers for their
valuable contributions to the development of
human resources for health in the ECOWAS region
and commended the efforts of partners, especially
the host institutions that will receive the interns at
the end of March 2013.
As a reminder, on December 14, 2012, the sixteen
interns from the 15 ECOWAS countries, making up
the eighth set of YPIP, were awarded their certifica-
te of completion after a year of internship. Between
2005 and 2012, the Young Professionals internship
program has trained a total of 103 health professio-
nals from 15 countries of ECOWAS.
The participants during the induction workshop
of the 9th batch of YPIP
WAHO remains committed to the quality of human resources in
public health management in West Africa
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Partnership
The Management Sciences for Health
(MSH) implemented West African
Leadership and Management
Strengthening (WA-LEAD) project wound
up on February 20, 2013.
Launched on July 30, 2010, The USAID funded
project was designed to strengthen WAHO’s
capacity to play its role as the leading regional
health institution in the ECOWAS region.
Initially scheduled to end on July 29, 2012, the
project was extended for an extra seven month
period with no additional cost.
The project specifically supported the develop-
ment of a regional Health Information Systems
policy document which was adopted by ECO-
WAS Health Ministers, strengthened the leaders-
hip and management capacity of WAHO and
national HIS programme coordinator, as well as
strengthened the institutional capacity of
WAHO to pursue advocacy and communication
activities.
The end-of project ceremony chaired by
WAHO’s Deputy Director General, Dr. Jeanetta
K. Johnson was attended by MSH Senior Project
Officer, Carey Johnson, WAHO Directors of
Programmes and other staff members. In her
opening address, Dr. Johnson thanked USAID
for its support and MSH/WALEAD project
staff for their dedication which culminated in
key project deliverables. As the projects ends,
WAHO looks forward to further collaboration
with MSH and USAID”. MSH Senior Technical
Advisor for Institutional Capacity Building,
Madam Letitia Sam presented the key milestones
of the project to an appreciative audience.
In recognition of the project staff commitment
to delivering the project outputs, WAHO staff
members led by the Organisation’s Director
General, Dr. Placido Cardoso attended a closing
ceremony on February 28, 2013. During the
ceremony WAHO’s gratitude was officially
expressed. The ceremony ended with the official
hand-over of the Advocacy and Communication
Strategy documents.
Key Deliverables Completed as WA-LEAD Project Winds Up
Dr Placido Cardoso, WAHO Director General (right) recei-
ving project documents from Letitia Sam MSH Technical
Advisor for Institutional Capacity Building during the
Ceremony
MSH Project Assistant, Maimouna Konate (right) being
decorated with a pin by WAHO Administrator, Madam
Amoukou Lailassa during the project close-out ceremony.
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Working Visit
On 12 March, 2013, a three-man del-
egation from the ECOWAS
Commission paid a one-day work-
ing visit to WAHO Headquarters in Bobo-
Dioulasso.
The purpose of the meeting was to apprise
WAHO staff members of the progress being
made towards the conceptualization of a har-
monized regional strategic approach from
which all ECOWAS institutions will fashion out
their future individual strategic plans.
During the question and answer session which
followed the presentation, WAHO staff mem-
bers expressed their concerns on policy and
strategy directions, financing of the process,
collection of inputs from the planning units of
other ECOWAS institutions and reorganization
of ECOWAS.
Mr. Essien addressed these concerns and
thanked WAHO for considering putting in
place a two-year Strategic Bridging Plan that
will enable the organisation to align with the
current process.
Aworking session between WAHO
and SISDAK delegation was held on
March 20, 2013 at WAHO
Headquarters.
In her introductory remarks, Dr. Benjamin wel-
comed the delegation and expressed the hope
that the meeting will culminate in defining a
clearer role of WAHO as one of SISDAK's
sponsor.
SISDAK Project Manager, Mrs. Rokhaya Diop
thanked WAHO for the warm welcome and its
readiness to host the meeting.
SISDAK's mission to WAHO was also intended
to solicit WAHO's participation in the 5th edi-
tion of the trade fair scheduled to be held from
27 to 30 June 2013, at the Public Health
Pavilion.
At the end of the meeting, it was agreed that
WAHO's participation in the next edition of
SISDAK should be subject to further discus-
sion.
A focal point in WAHO would be appointed to
monitor the evolution of SISDAK from a
national to a regional event given the consider-
ation that SISDAK is a potential "Best prac-
tice" to be promoted in our region.
ECOWAS Commiss ion Repre sentat ives (l ef t ) and the SISDAK de lega tion during i t s v i si t to WAHO
Consultation between WAHO and ECOWAS and a SISDAK-MSAS delegation