On the sidelines of the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly, African countries will convene in the spirit of cross-border collaboration to celebrate the signing of a historic Memorandum of Understanding to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis. Countries will champion the endorsement of a powerful Call for Action on cross-border collaboration in combating NTDs – Uniting for Impact – fast tracking progress towards ending NTDs.
Now it is time to act, to lead and to turn country-driven ambition into lasting impact.
Organizers: Africa Union Commission (AUC) and Global Onchocerciasis Network for Elimination (GONE)
Member State leadership: Cameroon, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania
Supporting partners: The END Fund, Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi)
Languages: English and French
Registration by email to: rozendaaln@who.int
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Agenda
| Welcome remarks Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO (video message) Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall, Director, Global Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme, WHO H.E. Amb Amma Twum-Amoah, AU Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development Setting the scene |
| Signing ceremony Introductory remarks by H.E. Dr Mekdes Daba Feyssa, Minister of Health of Ethiopia, on behalf of the endorsing countries Signing of MoU for visceral leishmaniasis elimination by Ministers of Health of Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda |
Panel: Elimination efforts for VL |
| Panel: Cross-border collaboration Chair of panel: Director for Health and Humanitarian Affairs, AUC, Prof. Julio Rakotonirina Panelists Hon. Dr Ibrahima Sy, Minister of Health of Senegal Hon. Jenista J. Mhagama, Minister of Health of the United Republic of Tanzania Dr Solomon Zewdu, CEO, The END Fund Mrs Allison Goldberg, President, MSD Foundation |
| Launch of Call for Action on NTD cross-border collaboration Hon. Dr Malachie Manaouda, Minister of Health of Cameroon Hon. Colonel Major Garba Hakimi, Minister of Health of Niger Hon. Muhammad Ali Pate, Minister of Health of Nigeria |
| Group photo followed by buffet lunch |