[ 2014-09-29 ]

ECOWAS Health Ministers issue communique on combating Ebola
Accra, Sept. 28, GNA - The ECOWAS Assembly of
Ministers of Health has issued a seven-point
communiqué developed by the co-ordinating
ministerial group for the implementation of the
operational plan on the Ebola virus disease.

The communiqué, which was read by Mrs Olubunmi
Ojo, Director, Disease Surveillance/International
Health Regulations, called for immediate
deployment of West Africa Health Organisation
delegation to affected countries and organisation
of high level missions to neighbouring nations.

It called for organsiation of mulit-sectatoral
missions to Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal to discuss
immediate implementation of humanitarian, economic
and health corridors in accordance with rules
adopted by the Technical Monitoring and
Surveillance Group.

It called for preparation and dissemination of
harmonised sensitisation and information messages
targeting pollutions in an effort to stop the
spread of the epidemic.

The communiqué also requested the ECOWAS
Commission for the mobilisation of the armed and
security forces to strengthen regional response
against the Ebola virus epidemic and provide,
among other things, medical personnel and
logistics as well as mobilise the support of the
military engineers’ regiments in setting up
treatment centres.

It called for the provision of adequate financial
incentives for national health personnel already
on the ground and finalisation of the Ebola
Regional Operation Plan and its submission to the
President of the ECOWAS Commission.

Ghana's Minister of Health, Dr Kwaku
Agyemang-Mensah, called for harmonisation of
individual country's efforts to avoid panicking
which could thwart the community's efforts at
dealing with the canker which had claimed more
than 2000 lives in the region.

Source - GNA

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