ECOWAS Health Ministers have expressed deep concern over the challenge caused by the current Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak both in the region and internationally, and expressed their total solidarity with the countries whose populations are seriously affected by the disease.
At their meeting held in Accra, Ghana on Thursday, 28th August 2014, the Ministers considered the report of an Experts meeting on the EVD epidemic in West Africa, and noted that to date, some 3,069 cases and 1,552 deaths had been recorded, and with many people still at risk.
In the Communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the Ministers described the EVD epidemic as a threat to public health in all ECOWAS countries, with “negative impact” on the economic, security and social sectors of Member States.
The Ministers agreed that “the principal objective is to rein in the transmission of the disease in the spirit of regional solidarity, with the urgent need to mobilize resources and harmonize the strategies.”
They also reached a number of decisions, including providing support to the affected countries through human resource mobilization and deployment, dispatching of health workers, and supplying them with relevant materials and equipment.
The Ministers also decided on the strengthening of epidemiological surveillance mechanisms at the countries’ points of entry and exit by developing a health information sheet, putting in place body temperature control equipment and hand sanitizers, as well as procedures for the handling of corpses.
Other decisions are the identification and management of suspected cases, sharing of information among countries, strengthening of health facilities of countries through training, provision of equipment and establishment of quarantine facilities.
The Ministers also stressed the need for the dissemination of clear and harmonized messages to the populations, provision of financial support and encouragement of research centers and medical schools to actively participate in the concerted efforts and search for solutions, as well as adequate care and therapies with a view to ensuring effective prevention and control of EVD and other life-threatening diseases.
They also decided to establish a regional monitoring mechanism comprising a Ministerial Coordination Group chaired by the Minister of Health of Ghana, with his counterparts from the affected countries as members, with the ECOWAS Commission and the West African Health Organization (WAHO) to provide secretariat services.
A Technical Monitoring Working Group made up of WAHO, Nigeria, WHO Africa Regional Office and experts from countries that are members of the Ministerial Coordination Group will form the second component of the mechanism, with the ECOWAS Commission and WAHO also providing secretariat services for this component.
The Ministers enjoined Community citizens to eschew panic, stressing that “the (EVD) disease can only be transmitted through direct contact with the body fluids of a sick person or by handling or eating of bush meat,” linked with the virus.
They also urged airline companies to continue their operations in West Africa, subject to appropriate health measures in conjunction with WAHO, which shall submit recommendations to the Ad hoc Ministerial Committee within seven days, with a view to ensuring implementation of the recommendations.
The Ministers further recommended to ECOWAS Heads of State and Government the need to put in place humanitarian, health and economic corridors leading to the affected Member States and to assess the travel restriction and border closure measures taken by some Member States in light of the WHO recommendations.
The Ministers stressed that “opening of borders and surveillance should constitute the rule, while border closure should only be an exception,” adding that in such exceptional circumstances, border closure may be subject to consultations between countries, with WAHO and WHO technical advice.
They urged Member States to expedite payment of their contributions to the ECOWAS Solidarity Fund to fight epidemics and appealed to the international community and the private sector to also support the Fund.