Opened on June 30 in the prefecture of Guéckédou (in southern Guinea), the cross-border meeting between Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone ended yesterday, Friday 1is July 2022. This meeting mobilized the local authorities of Guéckédou and health actors from Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone (by videoconference). And, it allowed participants to exchange and share their experiences to better harmonize their efforts in the fight against the hemorrhagic fevers that beset their countries. It also made it possible to produce a provisional report setting out several recommendations, reports Guineematin.com through its special correspondent in Guéckédou.
Involving more peripheral structures in reporting alerts, making logistical resources available, supporting the implementation of the health policy or even supporting the accountability mechanism towards the affected communities are among the points contained in the interim report which has just been published. to be produced. And, all the actors who took part in this grandiose cross-border meeting said they were satisfied with the progress of the work. Above all, they hope that the recommendations resulting from this two-day meeting will allow better collaboration between these different States.
Dr Mamadou Oury Baldé, head of emergency preparedness and response at the WHO office in Conakry
“I think we had a very good meeting and the conclusions that will emerge from the global report, the roadmap that will be consolidated and the memorandum of understanding will help lay the groundwork for a fruitful collaboration. So, with all the monitoring and evaluation system that will be put in place, this will make it possible to respond to the concerns that were recorded during this meeting. I want to specify here that, on the side of the WHO (World Health Organization), we will continue to support this roadmap. The budget will be drawn up so that we can improve surveillance between our different countries,” said Dr. Mamadou Oury Baldé, head of emergency preparedness and response at the WHO office in Conakry.
To move more quickly in the synergy of actions decided between Guineans, Sierra Leoneans and Liberians, Dr. Moussa Koné, head of the ANSS surveillance department (national health security agency), asks for a rapid sharing of the recommendations in order to be able to assess them soon.
Dr Moussa Koné, head of the ANSS surveillance department
“I highly appreciate the content of this report; and, I would like to offer one and only one recommendation, it is not beyond our reach. The only recommendation is to immediately share these recommendations for each country to benefit from. It is at this price alone that when Sierra Leone or Liberia will invite us, we will be able to evaluate what we have already implemented”, said Dr. Moussa Koné.
Speaking on behalf of the Sierra Leonean delegation, Charles M. Kalie hinted that such meetings will help a lot in the fight against epidemics.
Charles M. Kalie, representative of the Sierra Leone delegation
“Such meetings will sincerely help us to contain epidemics in the future. We are sincerely grateful to our colleagues who spared no effort in the reception. Our prayer is also to receive such meetings at home,” he said.
It should be noted that a tripartite committee has been set up to work between two and three weeks to finalize the global report which will then serve as a memorandum of understanding between the three countries concerned.
From Guéckédou, Mamadou Yahya Petel Diallo for Guineematin.com