Date: 2017-09-21 01:28:52 ID: 1711
The Director General of WAHO, accompanied by a delegation of his institution, undertook a working visit to Ouagadougou from 19 to 20 September 2017, to introduce the Demography, Sexual and Reproductive Health (DEMSAN) programme to the Ministry of health of Burkina Faso.
The audience with the Minister, Nicolas Méda, enabled Dr Xavier CRESPIN, to provide all the necessary information on various aspects of the programme and to solicit support for its implementation by the health Ministry.
The project, worth 10 million euros, covers a period of three years from 2017 and it targets three countries in the first instance: Burkina, Niger and Mali. The DEMSAN project is a joint technical and financial initiative of the French Development Agency (AFD) and the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO). The project aims at strengthening WAHO’s role and mission in steering and managing knowledge on issues of demography, sexual and reproductive health, strengthening policy advocacy for sexual and reproductive rights, fostering the emergence of civil society in these areas and the capacity of beneficiary States with regard to the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and strategies to achieve Human Rights, Sexual and Reproductive Health (HRSSR).
The working visit of the Director General of WAHO to the Minister of health of Burkina Faso, who was accompanied by the senior Staff of the Department, took place after the visits Mali and Niger in May and July 2017, during which Dr Xavier CRESPIN, advocated the highest authorities for their commitment to support the implementation of the DEMSAN project activities.
At the end of the audience between the two personalities at the office of the Minister, Nicolas Méda, an information session with the press was organised to enable the media disseminate the scope of the current project to the population. On the occasion, the Minister of health and the Direct General of WAHO explained, in essence, the usefulness of the project for demographic transition, specifically for the improvement of the health of mothers, children and adolescents. The project envisages working with the Ministries of health of countries and with other civil society stakeholders, as well as with those involved in population issues and the right to health. The project focuses in the first instance on three francophone countries, considering the situation analysis, which revealed gaps in reproductive health, and particularly in the repositioning of family planning, stated Dr Xavier CRESPIN.
Responding to the information provided by DG of WAHO, the Minister of health of Burkina congratulated WAHO for its initiative in the general area of improving the health of the population in West Africa and formally welcomed the launch of DEMSAN project. Furthermore, he explained the similarity of vision between the DEMSAN project and the desire of his Ministry with regard to implementation of the various projects to be implemented towards the improvement of public health. Here also, the issue of demographic transition as indicated in the DEMSAN project, is in harmony with the expected outcomes of the National Economic and Social Development Plan of Burkina Faso. Hence, the Ministry of health subscribes to the DEMSAN activities.
The second day, the DEMSAN team on an advocacy mission held a technical meeting with management of the Ministry of health and had detailed discussions on the content of the project. The discussions with the staff of the Ministry of health focused on introducing the entire DEMSAN project. The Programme Coordinator did so, and it was an opportunity for Mrs Kandine Tidjani and her Assistants, respectively in charge of the right to health, demography and research, to explain the objectives of the programme, it’s components, and the activities to be implemented in Burkina with the commitment of all stakeholders involved.
It was on a note of satisfaction that the fact-finding and advocacy mission came to an end, reflecting the visits to other destinations at which the Director General of WAHO committed himself to defending to success of the project and the involvement of stakeholders of beneficiary countries in the proper implementation of activities for the benefit of the community.
