Underscoring that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014 was the largest, complex and most severe crisis that was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” and by the UN Security Council “threat to international peace and security”, Dr. Martial De-Paul IKOUNGA, Commissioner for Humans Resources, Science and Technology (HRST) of the African Union (AU), urged the regional actors to play a crucial role in strengthening the preparedness and response to outbreak of communicable diseases by urgently adopting policies that push for the strengthening of health systems, development of critical human resources and investment public health infrastructures. The Commissioner was speaking at a panel session on Ebola that took place during World Health Summit from 11 — 13 October 2015, in Berlin Germany.
Commissioner Ikounga said, “Member States should improve their surveillance and laboratory capacities that are required for detection, contact tracing, timely diagnosis and treatment of the cases”. Referring to the African Union, he highlighted that enhancing African solidarity through exemplary mechanisms such as ASEOWA an African Union Support to Ebola in West Africa initiative for mobilization of financial and technical was most welcome. Given that Ebola is a global health concern he further called for the mobilization of the entire International Community to double our efforts and provide a global response both in terms of preparedness and policy to deal with and prevent future occurrences.
“Strategically, scientific research in communicable diseases and vaccines should be vigorously promoted to develop new medical products, prevention and response tools, treatment and finding a cure”, the Commissioner emphasised. He underscored that the Heads of State and Government, adopted a 10-Year Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy-2024, as a research policy instrument, within the long-term AU Agenda 2063. Among its priorities, the strategy fosters prevention and control of diseases, and promotes communities to live-together, and build societies, through research in social sciences and humanities, with a view to influence behavioural change. He urged for support for the establishment and operation of the Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC) to champion research and lead response to infectious diseases.
The Commissioner for HRST further underlined that, all these international meetings, resolutions made on Ebola, the expression of solidarity at the national and regional levels, and decision not to isolate the affected countries and stigmatize the population testified that throughout the world, the fight against Ebola became a political concern. He called for the sharing of data, expertise and lessons learned, beyond trade interests of research centres and pharmaceutical laboratories.
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