The need for a concerted effort to fight the scourge of diseases in the sub region has necessitated the decision by ECOWAS in establishing the Regional Centre for Disease Control. To act as a quick response body to help check the outbreak of new threat of diseases epidemics such as Lassa fever, Yellow fever and Zika virus within the region.
The outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in the region that led to loss of lives and had far reaching economic effects in the region was a wakeup call. The inaugural meeting of the governing board of the ECOWAS Regional Surveillance and diseases control centre kicked off in Abuja Monday.
It is an institution conceived by ECOWAS Head of State and governments to protect its citizens and keep them safe from the scourge of diseases that ravaged the sub region in the recent past. The outbreak of the EBOLA epidemic and its diverstating effect on the region which according to them exposed the weaknesses of the regions health systems and lack of readiness to respond to Ebola Virus Disease.
