The West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO) will be celebrating its 23rd anniversary this week at the Buffer Zone in Tallinding, a press release sent to the Daily Observer revealed.

In observance of this day, Dr. Piacido M. Cardoso, director general/OOAS delivered a statement.Below is the full text of the statement.Esteemed Citizens of the Ecowas Region, today marks the 23rd anniversary of the founding of the West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO). It is therefore my distinguished privilege to send you warm greetings on my own behalf and on behalf of the management and staff of WAHO.

On this momentous day in our history, it is proper that we take a step back to reflect on our common objective of striving to reduce the heavy disease burden of our region and to rededicate ourselves to this cause.WAHO is your institution.An institution of the "Ecowas of the people". With your support, our onward march to deliver high-impact  health interventions continues.Noble citizens of this region, in the midst of the global financial crisis, the health challenges of our region continue to increase. Our region has still not been spared the scourge of epidemics such as A (H1N1), Cholera and dengue fever.

Dengue fever has taken its toll on the people of Cape Verde affecting more than 20 000 people, and more than 150 confirmed cases of A (H1N1) influenza, have been reported in Ghana, Nigeria, Cape Verde and Cote d'Ivoire. The region has also experienced meningitis epidemics with over 56 000 reported cases in Nigeria and 13 000 in Niger.

 In addition, endemic diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis are still public health concerns. Quite disturbingly, despite the many interventions and initiatives that have been launched, maternal and neonatal mortality remains unacceptably high with little progress made toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

Besides all these health challenges, year in year out, many of our countries continue to face devastating floods, which often result in outbreaks of vector- borne and diarrhoeal diseases such as cholera and yellow fever.Nevertheless, in accordance with our mission, ensuring high impact health interventions in the region, WAHO has not relented in its efforts to support countries to deal with these health challenges.

In 2009 for instance, efforts were made to support countries to harmonize procedures for the management, treatment and care of people living with HIV and for the rehabilitation of laboratories for the diagnosis of HIV infection, including the provision of diagnostic equipments for measuring TCD4 lymphocytes. In addition, some countries benefited from the supply of locally produced ARVs through a public-private partnership initiative.

This approach has allowed us to contribute to strengthening the health systems of Member States, which is but the tip of the iceberg of our many priority interventions.As part of our strategy to improve access to quality healthcare for all the peoples of the region, we have chosen Traditional Medicine as the theme for this year's WAHO day celebrations.

There are sound reasons for this choice! With about 80% of people in our region utilising traditional medical services, we believe it is only proper that we renew out commitment to support its development and leave no room for charlatanism. For many millions of people in the Ecowas region particularly rural dwellers, herbal medicines or traditional medicines and traditional practitioners are often the only source of health care.

 Traditional medicine practitioners must be trained and regulated to enable them acquire the necessary skills and competences to perform this ancient, culturally respected art of compassionate care and healing alongside so-called orthodox medical practice.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my hope that with your continued support, we will together be able to "roll back malaria", contain A(H1N1), HIV/AIDS and TB and arrest the increasing levels of maternal and neonatal mortality!