By GRACE AUDU, Abuja –
A four-day meeting for the establishment and strengthening of National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) in West Africa opened in Abuja on Monday, with the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Jide Idris, recalling the past experiences of Ebola, COVID-19 and other epidemics and their consequences of health systems’ destruction, mass displacement and destabilized economies.
The workshop, organized by the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control (RCSDC), is being attended by Directors of National Public Health Institutes in West Africa, representatives of the African CDC, the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (USCDC), the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI), Technical and Financial partners, among others.
Among other Objectives, the meeting is meant to share lessons learned from established National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) and those working to establish an NPHI in West Africa; Explore challenges and bottlenecks for the establishment of NPHIs and; Share strategies and recommendations to overcome the challenges to establish NPHIs.
It is expected that deliberations at the end of the meeting would achieve strong member states’ understanding of NPHIs, including added value and contribution to health security; a clear roadmap to accelerate NPHI establishment in West Africa and; accelerated establishment of NPHIs in West Africa
Dr. Idris, who said the objective of the workshop was also to bring together national public health institutes across the West African sub region to address the issue of health security, noted that West Africa had some peculiarities which could add further pressure to the sub-region’s weak and existing health systems.
According to him, such peculiarities include “environmental risk factors of (climate change, deforestation, desertification, drought and flowing), socio-economic factors of (poverty, population explosion, growing urban slums, substance use disorders, illicit trade within and across borders) and security risk factors of (human displacement from conflicts and terrorism).”
On desired benefits of the meeting to Nigeria, Dr Idris noted that though Nigeria was fully established, “we can still develop and upgrade our systems,” adding that the other countries, depending on their peculiarities “can also understand from us how we do it, what challenges we have faced.”
He said: “you know we have faced common challenges, we have conflicts, we have diseases, remember, some time ago you had Ebola, we have COVID, in this country we are having Lassa fever, meningitis, and so many things, how we are coping with them, we will share knowledge, we will experience with our partners who have better experiences like CDC in USA. They can actually enlighten us how best to go about some of these in case we do have problems.”
In a goodwill message, the Director-General of the West African Health Organization (WAHO), Melchior Athanese represented by Aisha Bukola Usman, noted that the gathering was a testament to their collective commitment to advancing public health in the West African region.
“Today’s gathering is a testament to our collective commitment to advancing public health in the West African region. The objectives outlined for this meeting are both comprehensive and pivotal in addressing the evolving landscape of public health, fostering collaboration, and driving positive change within our communities.
“The sharing of best practices and lessons learned from established NPHIs in the region is a valuable opportunity for mutual learning and growth. It reflects the spirit of cooperation and knowledge exchange that defines our collective pursuit of excellence in public health initiatives.
“By engaging in open discussions, we have the chance to fortify our existing foundations and identify innovative approaches to address current and anticipated challenges faced by countries in the development of NPHIs.”
He added that crucially, the discussions would also center around actions needed to accelerate the establishment and strengthening of NPHIs in West Africa.
“Furthermore, exploring the roles of WAHO, Africa CDC, and other strategic partners in supporting this acceleration will foster a collaborative environment, ensuring that our shared goals are met with unified efforts.
“The participants here today, comprised of Directors of NPHIs, leaders, Subject matter experts, focal points from existing NPHIs, senior officials from Ministries of Health, and technical and financial partners, represent a diverse and knowledgeable assembly. Together, we can harness this diversity to formulate comprehensive strategies that will pave the way for the effective functioning of NPHIs throughout West Africa and beyond.
“I am particularly grateful to Nigeria CDC DG for accepting to co-host this event and allowing our field visit in his headquarters. I believe this will provide us a more pragmatic ways to review routine NPHI operations and advance our deliberations.
The WAHO DG also expressed gratitude to all partners, US CDC, IANPHI, Africa CDC, USAID, UKHSA, GIZ, USAID, WHO, AFENET, RTSL and others and optimistic of fruitful discussions and outcomes that will undoubtedly emerge from this meeting.
On his part, the Head, Division of Public Health Institute and Research, the Africa Center for Disease Control (CDC), Dr Raji Tajudeen, said: “this program that we have started today and is going to last four days is about establishment and strengthening of national public health institutions across the 15 member states within the West Africa region.
“We looked at the different outbreak that have happened in the continent, especially in the region and see what exactly was going to be the best approach to respond to disease outbreak. We realized that the countries that have National Public Health Institute, like Nigeria, CDC, were able to do better, respond better to disease outbreak that those countries that did not have any. So, from there we decided that one of our key agenda will be to support each and every member state on the continent to establish national publica institutes, for those who already have support them to strengthen those national public health institutes.
“In terms of advantages, many a times when there is disease outbreak, it takes time for us to detect, it also takes time to respond. Infact it takes much longer time to rebuild back better, stronger and bolder. But with NPHI and from the experience of those who have NPHI we discovered that that decision delivery time tend to be faster, in terms of utilization of resources it tend sto be better. And in terms of rebuilding back using that memory, that experience from those outbreaks, it tends to better when you have outbreaks.
“This is why it is actually good to have NPHI, even when you at in terms of the management of the different partners, because whenever there is any outbreak, you see a lot of partners pour in. So in terms of effectively and efficiently managing those partners, when you have NPHI in place is a lot better than when you don’t have those NPHI,” Dr Tajudeen said.
In her remarks, Hellen Whitney of the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI), a global network of public health Institutes from around the world, expressed optimism that at the end the workshop member states of the West Africa region would be equipped with a better understanding of the challenges for establishing and strengthening national public health institutes, learning from their peers who have successfully established a Public Health Institute.
“The end of this workshop, I hope that the member states of the West Africa region walk away with a better understanding of the challenges and facilitators for establishing and strengthening national public health institutes, learning from their peers who have successfully established a Public Health Institute and learning how to build and strengthen their own within their own country context,” she said.
The Director, Public Health, Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Chukwuma Anyaike, said the gathering was an invitation to directors of public health across the West African sub region for them to brainstorm, share ideas, share challenges, and able to discuss on the way forward towards solving them.
“Is expected that at the end of this meeting, we would have learned from each other, we would have talked together, and would proffered solutions towards securing the lives of people in the West Africa region, and in Africa in general, he said.”
On delays in response to disease outbreaks, Dr Anyaike noted that “because we are having a multi-sectoral approach to health issues, you need to gather every person, technical people, the funds, of course, you have to walk on existing framework. So, I don’t think delays is a major problem. It is not even in Nigeria. It cuts across every human endeavor and even outside this country.
“So, we have called this meeting for us to interact with other countries, other public health institutions in the Sub-Africa region for us to find a way because every country has its own peculiarities.
“But the bottom line is that any disease somewhere exists for every part of this world. We need to work together; the underlined word is collaboration and sharing of knowledge.”
Key areas slated for discussion during the four-day meeting taking place at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, include establishment of common understanding of NPHIs, Overview of Africa CDC NPHI framework and supports toward NPHI establishment in West Africa-Haftom Taame; Support for NPHI development and strengthening – IANPHI & US CDC-Ellen Whitney & Ilana Schafer and; IANPHI Africa Regional Network and Kigali Statement-Prof Herve Hien co-chair, IANPHI Africa Regional Network.
Under NPHI development status and key achievements, the meeting is expected to take presentation from Burkina Faso, Cabo verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Nigeria, as well as a presentation from US CDC and RKI on their establishment.
Others are: Emergency Preparedness and Response Capabilities for NPHIs; Africa CDC West Africa-RCC updates; Status of NPHI development and key achievements in West Africa Member States; Challenges and lessons learned in NPHI development and; Roadmap to accelerating NPHI development.
The meeting will also discuss the role of WAHO, Africa CDC, WHO and other partners in accelerating establishment of NPHIs, which will include the roles of RCSDC, WA-RCC, Africa CDC, and other partners in accelerating establishment of NPHIs.
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