More than one hundred civil society groups in the West Africa have met in Senegal, Dakar to push for a Special Envoy on Ebola to facilitate efforts to contain the deadly disease in the sub-region.
The civil society groups say in light of the current outbreak of the deadly disease, members of Economic Community of West African States must “appoint a leading, influential, strong and knowledgeable West African physician or health professional as ECOWAS Special Envoy on Ebola.”
The current Ebola epidemic, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called the deadliest outbreak since the virus was discovered in 1976, has claimed at least 1,552 lives in West Africa, including many health personnel.
According to the 101 civil society groups pushing for the ‘ECOWAS Special Envoy on Ebola’, such an envoy will complement the efforts of WHO’s envoy Dr David Nabarro, to help draw attention to the public health and humanitarian challenges posed by Ebola and become a regional voice and leader for a regional response plan led by African and international contributors.
“The Envoy could also be the voice calling for effective management and coordination of cross-border transportation and logistics. The challenge we face is extraordinary and ECOWAS needs to create a specialised platform to address this”, a statement released by the West African Civil Society Institute (WACSI) on behalf of the 101 civil societies pushing for the initiative said.
WHO predicts that 20,000 people may ultimately be infected in this outbreak before a cure for the disease is discovered, a situation civil society groups say demand urgent steps to avoid an even greater catastrophe.
Reason for an ECOWAS Ebola Envoy
The civil society groups said cross-border coordination and collaboration have become necessary to stem the spread of Ebola, noting efforts to contain the disease has largely been haphazard and chaotic in the sub-region
“While closure of borders may provide short term relief, it is not proving an effective way of controlling the virus and is also an impediment to cross-border technical support and humanitarian assistance, giving rise to new food security challenges”, the statement said.
The CSOs observe that the challenge of the current epidemic calls for urgent, unified and concerted efforts by ECOWAS and the international community, hence the need for the Ebola envoy for West Africa.
“Since regional collaboration and coordination have been the main impediments in the management of this epidemic, we particularly appreciate and welcome the decision of ECOWAS to put in place a regional monitoring mechanism composed of two entities: the ministerial coordination group chaired by the Ghanaian health minister and a technical monitoring workgroup with members such as WHO Afro and the West African Health Organization (WAHO).
“The work of this monitoring mechanism should continue even in the post-Ebola period given the negative impact that the epidemic is having on health systems, on economies, and on social ties and community relations.
“We call on the international community to provide needed assistance in ensuring that the response to Ebola in the region is effective, humane and sustainable” the statement said.
Below is a full list West African Civil Society Organisations who are pushing for the initiative :
Action Aid Liberia
ActionAid Nigeria
African Artists’ Foundation
AFRICARE
AGENDA
Alliance des femmes pour l’Egalité et le Genre en Guinée (AFEGGUI)
Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE)
Association des Femmes Journalistes de Guinée (AFJ/Guinée)
Association des Juristes Sénégalaises (AJS)
Association Mains Solidaires (AMAS)
Association of Community Radio Stations (ALICOR)
Avocats pour les Droits de l’Homme – Guinee (ADHG)
Avocats Sans Frontières Guinée
Bassa Women Development Association
Bassa Youth Caucus
Brekete Family Empowerment Project
CAUSE-Africa
CDD Ghana
Center for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL) – Sierra Leone
Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD)
Center for Justice and Peace Studies
Center for Media Studies and Peace Building
Center for Social Justice (Censoj)
Center for Transparency and Accountability
Centre LSD
Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)
Community Development and Research Agency
Community Life Project – Nigeria
Conseil National des Organisations de la Société Civile de Guinée (CNOSCG)
Council for the Development of Research in Social Sciences in Africa (CODESRIA)
Creative Media Centre For Development
CSO Ebola Response Taskforce – Liberia
Décentralisation Droits Humains Développement Local (ONG 3D)
Development & Integrity Intervention Goal Foundation (DIG Nigeria)
Development Education Network Liberia
EARS for the Masses
Elections Coordinating Committee
ENDA Tiers Monde
Forum Civil – Sénégal
Gender Peace Network
Human Development Initiatives – Nigeria
IBIS
IMANI
Initiative for Positive Change
Institute for Research and Democratic Development
Institute of Governance Reform – Sierra Leone
Integrity Organization Ltd (GTE)
L’Association Béninoise de Droit Constitutionnel (ABDC)
LA CROIX BENIN
Liberia Feminist Forum
Liberia Media and Democratic Initiative
Liberia Media Center
Liberia Women Media Action Committee
MacJim Foundation
Maison de la Presse Guinee
Mano River Women Peace Network
Media Rights Agenda – Nigeria
Meme Droits pour Tous Guinee
National Civil Society Association of Liberia
National Civil Society Council of Liberia
National Youth Movement for Transparent Elections (NAYMOTE)
Natural Resource Management Consortium
Network Movement for Democracy and Human Rights (NMDHR)
Network of National Human Rights Institutions in West Africa (NNHRI-WA)
New African Research Development Agency
ONG SOS-Civisme/Niger
Organisation Catholique pour la Promotion Humaine – Guinée
Partners for Electoral Reforms
Plateforme des Acteurs Non Etatiques pour le suivi des accords de Cotonou (ANE/PF)
Platform for Dialogue and Peace
Policy and Legislative Advocacy Center (PLAC)
Press Union of Liberia
Public and Private Development Centre
Public Health Initiative
Réseau Ouest Africain des Défenseurs des Droits de l’Homme – Guinée
Responsible Citizenship and Human Development Initiative
Rights & Rice Foundation
Save Nigeria Group (SNG)
Say No Campaign (SNC) Nigeria
Search for Common Ground
Security Sector Working Group
Social Watch Benin
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP)
Special Emergency to Restore Children Hope
Support Initiative for Sustainable Development (SISDEV)
The Centre for Democracy and Development (Nigeria)
TrustAfrica
Union des Radios Associatives et Communautaires du Sénégal (URAC)
UPMB-Benin
WACAM – Ghana
WANEP -Benin
West Africa Civil Society Forum (WACSOF)
West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI)
West African Network for Peace Building
Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia
Young Men Christian Association of Liberia
Young Women Christian Association
Youth in Technology and Arts Network
Youth Initiative for Growth and Advancement (YIAGA)
Zorzor Women Development Association
Open Society Initiative for West Africa
Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor | [email protected]
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