The West African Health Organisation (WAHO), organised a validation workshop for the ECOWAS Regional Digital Health Strategic Plan (2026–2030) and the operational plan covering the first two years of implementation.
Held in Dakar, Senegal, from 19 to 23 January 2026, the meeting brought together representatives of Member States, regional experts, partners, and stakeholders from the digital health sector.
Its aim was to finalize the first draft of the strategic document considering national, regional and international priorities, to harmonize strategic pillars, performance indicators and governance mechanisms, and to adjust the operational plan to ensure its feasibility and budgetary relevance.
Director-General of WAHO, Melchior Athanase Joël C. AISSI, was represented at the workshop by the Executive Director of the Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control (RCSDC), Dr. Mamadou Diarrassouba.
Speaking on behalf of the WAHO Director-General, Diarrassouba emphasized that, faced with the health challenges in the ECOWAS region, digital health is an essential strategic lever to modernize health systems, strengthen their effectiveness, promote equity and increase resilience to crises, thereby concretely improving the living conditions of populations.
He recalled that the holding of this workshop demonstrates the shared commitment of Member States and partners to build an interoperable, secure, inclusive and people-centred digital health ecosystem.
