February 25, 2016 By Abdul Karim Koroma in Addis Ababa
Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation II, Ms. Madina Rahman is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia attending the First Ministerial and Stakeholders Conference on Immunization in Africa, which commenced on 24 February at the African Union Commission Headquarters.
The objective of the two days ministerial conference is to foster country ownership of sustainable funding to achieve the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GAVP) goals, while advocating for greater engagement with stakeholders for sustainable demand for immunisation.
The meeting, which is being organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Offices for Africa and Eastern Mediterranean, in collaboration with the African Union Commission, is attended by Ministers of Health or their representatives across the continent and technical experts.
Other members on the Deputy Minister’s delegation include: Hon. Abdulai Daniel Sesay, Chairman Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Health; Sheik Abu Bakarr Conteh, Chairman Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone; Dr. Dennis Marke, Programme Manager Child Health/Expanded Programme on Immunisation; and Dr. Clifford Kamara, Senior Programme Officer of SABIN Vaccine Institute.
It could be recalled that the 65th Session of the World Health Assembly, held in May 2012, adopted the GVAP, which urged Member States to implement the GVAP vision and strategies by improving each country’s performance of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation. The mission of GAVP is to provide full benefits of immunisation to all people, regardless of where they were born, who they are, or where they live, by 2020.