The ministries of health in Guinea and Sierra Leone have ended a 3-day meeting on cholera prevention and control in the northern Sierra Leonean city of Makeni.
The cross-border meeting which happened on 31 October to 2 November aimed “to facilitate a common platform to prepare for and respond to outbreak of cholera & other communicable diseases along their common borders”, according to a press release from the UN World Health organisation.
It was attended by senior government and UN officials from both countries including the WHO Representative in Sierra Leone, the Guinean Inspector General of Health and the Sierra Leone Director of Disease Prevention and Control.
It also looked at data analysis, information-surveillance on epidemic, risk management and experience sharing especially from recent outbreaks in the two countries.
Sierra Leone's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Kisito Daoh said a cholera outbreak in any of the countries was of concern to the other because of the long common border with similar epidemiological and socio-economic milieu.
Speaking on behalf of the UN family, WHO Representative in Sierra Leone, Dr W. Alemu, said that “a multi-sectoral approach” was crucial for the control of cholera and other epidemic prone diseases including those targeted for eradication such as polio. He said this could be achieved through “strengthened coordination and collaboration within and between countries”.
Technical presentations on priority diseases in Guinea and Sierra Leone were made, which formed the basis for discussions on progress and challenges and disease prevention and control especially in the border districts.
The meeting agreed to strengthen cross border disease surveillance and response.
Other participants included technical officials from national and border districts, the WHO Inter-country Support Team of W/Africa, WHO and UNICEF Country Offices in both countries, OXFAM/GB, Action Contre la Faim (ACF). The meeting was supported by WHO and UNICEF.
(c) Politico 08/11/12
