ECOWAS issues communiqué on Ebola

The Heads of State and Government of the Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS) has endorsed the Regional Integrated Operational Plan set up to respond to the Ebola virus disease in the affected countries.

The ECOWAS heads also welcomed the interventions by stakeholders to mobilize adequate resources for the coordinated implementation of the Regional Operational Plan.

Mr Kadre Desire Quedraogo, President of the ECOWAS Commission, stated this in the final Communiqué of the Extraordinary Session of the Authority of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in Accra.

The summit noted the contributions of Partners namely United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), World Health Organization (WHO), European Union, African Union, United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Holland, China, Norway and Cuba.

The communiqué expressed deep concern about the negative impact of the Ebola disease on the economies of the affected countries, saying that the epidemic posed a threat to the regional integration process as well as to regional peace and security.

According to the statement, the Authority had made strong reservations at the loss of thousands of lives since the outbreak of the epidemic and restated its solidarity and sympathy for the people of the affected countries, particularly, those in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Mali.

The communiqué also reaffirmed the commitment of the Heads of State and Government to continue their joint and coordinated efforts in the determined fight against the Ebola Virus Disease.

The Summit commended the actions taken by Nigeria and Senegal, which enabled these two ECOWAS member states to contain the epidemic, saying that the other affected countries in their efforts to contain the disease would learn from their examples to achieve the same success.

According to the statement, to ensure efficiency of all the efforts, the Authority appointed President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe of Togo to supervise the Ebola disease response and eradication process.

The Heads of State and Government also called on all the Member States to urgently develop and implement guidelines on Ebola treatment and management in line with WHO standards.

Members were also urged to join ICAO and seek assistance from the ICAO/WHO Cooperation Arrangement for the Prevention of the Spread of Communicable Diseases through Air Travel (CAPSCA).

The ECOWAS Heads reiterated their firm commitment to the principles of free movement within the ECOWAS region and invited all the member states to adhere to them, particularly, by removing restriction and ban on the movement of persons and goods to and from the affected countries, while observing the appropriate health control at the borders.

The Authority urged the member states to conduct extensive public education, communication and awareness on the Ebola disease with a view to preventing the stigmatization of affected persons and stopping the transmission of the disease.

The Heads of State and Government reiterated the need to strengthen the regional multi-sectoral coordination in the fight against the epidemic and underpin the important role of ECOWAS in that regard.

The statement directed the ECOWAS Commission to actively participate in the various actions undertaken to support the efforts of the member states, particularly in the planning, implementation and coordination of all United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) and African Union activities in the region.

The Authority also instructed the ECOWAS Commission to take all the necessary actions to set up a regional center for disease prevention and control in West Africa and enhance health research in West Africa.

It also encouraged the Commission to be involved in the ongoing initiatives towards the development of vaccines.