Accra, Feb 25.GNA – Health Ministers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are in a two-day meeting in Accra to discuss and adopt the newly developed West African Health Organisation (WAHO) vision 2030 strategic framework.
The WAHO vision 2030 developed for health organisations in Africa is expected to guide member states towards the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for improved quality of live in the sub-region.
When adopted, the document will provide a regional roadmap that will enable multisectoral interventions for improved health outcomes of the people in the sub region in the next eight years.
Professor Stanley Okolo, Director General of the WAHO, said at the opening of the assembly on Thursday that the document would focus more on improving the health and wellbeing of the public by focusing more on nutrition, obesity and ensure that children got the needed vaccines required for growth.
The newly developed WAHO Vision 2030 is framed around three goals- to accelerate access to inclusive and affordable quality health, to ensure effective public health emergency preparedness and response capabilities and promote organisational excellence in the ECOWAS region.
Prof Okolo said the WAHO vision 2030 was facilitated by the Tony Blair Institute with inputs from WAHO staff, member states as well as partners and stakeholders.
Before the development of WAHO vision 2030, ECOWAS ministers of health adopted the WAHO 2016-2020, a four -year strategic plan, which focused on improving health programmes, providing technical and financial assistance to member states in the sub region, among others.
The WAHO Director General said the development of the WAHO vision 2030, for adoption was one year late due to the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, Ghana’s Minister for Health, who opened the meeting said WAHO’s Vision 2030 was very apt as it aligned directly with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
He said the old strategic plan saw the roll-out of many health interventions and programmes within the ECOWAS region, including health information and research for health, access to health, epidemics, disease control and emergency preparedness.
The Health Minister said Ghana launched its revised National Health Policy (2020) and a new Universal Health Coverage (UHC) roadmap in 2020 to reinforce the government’s commitment of ensuring that no one was left behind.
“This new WAHO document has come at an opportune time as it will afford us the chance to align our next health sector medium-term development plan to achieve policy coherence and better efficiency,” he said.
Mr Agyeman-Manu encouraged all ECOWAS member states to continue to work together in unity.
GNA