EBOLA CRISIS RESPONSE: ECOWAS GROOMS 150 MEDICAL PERSONNEL TO CONFRONT A GROWING CHALLENGE.
HE Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, President,ECOWAS Commission (2nd from right) being accompanied out of Kofi Annan Peacekeeping International Training Centre, in Accra by Dr. Carlos Brito of WAHO (3rd from right),
(From left) Dr.Laurent Assogba,-DDG WAHO, HE Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, President,ECOWAS Commission,Dr.Kwaku Mensa, Ghanaian Minister of Health and Major General OB Awah, Commandant, KAIPTC
Medical Corp in a Group Picture with President Ouedraogo and other dignitaries
Additional mobilisation of funding and human resources remain vital to containing Ebola virus disease.
5-day training for 150 medical personnel prior to being deployed to Ebola most affected countries in West Africa took place today at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC).
The ceremony is a follow-up to the US 7.5 million Grant Protocol agreement signed barely a month ago in Abuja by the ECOWAS Commission and the African Development Bank (AfDB) for the coordination of Ebola Crisis Response Project in the region.
In his welcome remarks, Dr. Laurent Assogba, the Deputy-Director of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) acknowledged the spirit of solidarity demonstrated by the participants in joining their forces to effectively fight the Ebola epidemic. He told the medics that " your task is noble and I have to thank you and congratulate you for this choice you have made. "
Dr. Assogba enjoined the medics to observe a zero tolerance for Ebola by strictly following medical protocols, and treating patients with dignity in the field. He however reassured them of ECOWAS commitment to safety, " fear not because ECOWAS has the duty to protect you and support you to work peacefully and safely to your respective families" he concluded.
In his own address, Dr. Kwaku Agyemang Mensah, the Ghanaian Minister of Health observed that Ebola, apart from tainting our cultural values continues to threaten economic activities within the region hence the need for solidarity. He said that " we must work with our sister nations who have been affected by Ebola to overcome this disease"
While expressing the hope that the training exercise will help to contain the disease, Dr. Mensah however stressed the need to lean towards preventive efforts and strategies while adopt appropriate attitude. " I wish to urge you as trainees to demonstrate high sense of discipline and professionalism in the execution of your duties" he submitted.
Declaring open the ceremony, HE Kadré Desiré Ouedraogo, President, of the ECOWAS Commission, noted that the presence of participants at today's ceremony attests to the importance attached to the success of the fight against Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the region.
He recognised the solidarity demonstrated by Member States adding that " I salute the memory of the thousands of victims including national and foreign health workers, and offer our sincere condolences to their families and the people of the affected countries".
According to President Ouedraogo, the success of Nigeria and Senegal in ridding their countries of Ebola could not but be a source of inspiration for others to follow suit. " today, you are true to your oath, getting ready to bring your assistance to our brothers in need in a great gesture of solidarity to go and save lives" he told the volunteers.
Comprised of medical doctors ,nurses and hygiene specialists, the medical personnel to be deployed to the Ebola affected countries hail from Togo, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, Niger ,Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal.
The deployment of the medical personnel is in conformity with the decision taken at the end of the extraordinary meeting of Assembly of Health Ministers in its of 26-28 August 2014 to support countries mostly affected by Ebola virus disease epidemic through the mobilization and deployment of human resources.
Present at the launching ceremony were other officials from the, the ECOWAS Commission, WAHO and the Ghanaian Ministry of Health.
Kayode Egbeleye
West African Health Organisation
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