Brazzaville calls for stronger regional health security
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Vox Congo
Illustrative image · Jep Gambardella · Pexels · Licence PexelsA conference bringing together professionals from Central and West Africa recommended strengthening surveillance, funding and epidemic prevention. In Brazzaville, Congolese Minister Ludovic Ngatsé called for the One Health approach and a regional health security community to be developed, according to Vox Congo.
Congolese Minister for Regional Integration Ludovic Ngatsé recommended on Wednesday 4 November in Brazzaville that epidemic surveillance, funding, human resources and research be strengthened in the sub-region. He was speaking at the close of a conference on health security in Central and West Africa, according to Vox Congo.
After two days of discussions among health professionals, participants also called for funding to be maintained after crises, prevention to be prioritised and the One Health approach to be applied, bringing together human, animal and environmental health. Ludovic Ngatsé called for a regional health security community to be built.
Assamba Angondo, vice-president of the CEMAC Commission, said health security was a condition for countries' stability and prosperity. He stressed that a state capable of preventing epidemics helps protect its neighbours and said regional cooperation was necessary, Vox Congo reports.
The Congolese government reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the health response nationally and in the sub-region. The conference comes as Tanzania assessed its preparedness for Ebola on 3 November.
