A delegation from the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), led by its Director General, Professor Palokinam T. PITCHE, paid a courtesy visit to Dr Salma Ibrahim ANAS, Special Adviser to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Health, at the State House in Abuja on 4 November 2026.
The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss ways of strengthening regional cooperation, particularly in maternal and child health, local production of health products, and health workforce development.
Discussions focused on the progress made across West Africa in tackling major epidemics, including HIV/AIDS, COVID-19 and Ebola, as well as the need to intensify regional efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality and improve access to essential health services in line with the 2030 health targets.
During the meeting, Dr Salma Ibrahim ANAS outlined several reforms introduced under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed TINUBU to improve access to essential healthcare and strengthen Nigeria's health system. These include the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), which supports more than 8,000 primary healthcare facilities across 172 priority localities, and the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), designed to improve emergency care, particularly for obstetric and neonatal emergencies.
The discussions also highlighted Nigeria's initiatives to strengthen health sovereignty through the local production of medicines, vaccines and contraceptives under the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC). This initiative aims to reduce dependence on imports and enhance the sustainability of health programmes.
Health workforce challenges were also addressed, particularly measures to manage the migration of health professionals more effectively, expand the capacity of health training institutions, improve the availability of qualified personnel and strengthen workforce retention to support the achievement of national health objectives.
Professor Palokinam T. PITCHE reaffirmed WAHO's commitment to supporting ECOWAS Member States in strengthening their health systems through the harmonisation of health policies, the exchange of experiences and the promotion of regional cooperation.
Both parties expressed their commitment to deepening collaboration and facilitating the sharing of good practices, particularly in maternal and child health, local pharmaceutical production, immunisation and family planning, for the benefit of populations across West Africa.
The WAHO Director General was accompanied by Dr Mamadou DIARRASSOUBA, Director of the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control, and Dr Yves MONGBO, Maternal and Child Health Programme Officer at WAHO.
