ECOWAS to combat health emergencies with rapid response team

West African countries are setting up a rapid response team to tackle health emergencies.

The initiative, which is expected to be unveiled in the next one month, will ensure skilled medical experts are on standby to tackle any epidemic in any country in the region.

Over 900 experts are attending the meeting of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) and the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Disease Control.

The Scientific Conference and Special Ministerial Session, which commenced in Abuja, yesterday, is focusing on strengthening field epidemiology and public health laboratory capacity, to contribute effectively to addressing epidemics and other major public health problems in Africa.

Executive Director, Regional Centre for Disease Control, Abdusalam Nasidi, told The Guardian that the capacity Nigeria and other African countries built in the elimination of the Ebola Virus Disease was being strengthened for any future emergency.

He said: “We are also going to immediately create a rapid response team within the next one month. There would be a standing response team that in case there is any health emergency in any other country, we don’t leave it to others.”