IAPB 9 TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER HYDRABAD INDIA Partnership beyond eye care Coordination of Vision 2020 in West-Africa, an example of partnership West African Health Organization (WAHO) Dr Doulaye SACKO Vision 2020 Coordinator in W AHO Dr Irmela ERDMANN West Africa Regional medical advisor CBM 1 9th GA of IAPB 19/09/2012

ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES ( ECOWAS) 15 WEST-AFRICAN STATES THREE LINGUISTIC BLOCKS 8F+ 5A+2L 300 MILLIONS Habitants 2 9th GA of IAPB 19/09/2012

Organisation Ouest Africaine de la Santé (OOAS) West African Health Organisation ( WAHO) Organizaçao Organizaçao Oest Oest Africana de la Africana de la Saude (OOAS) Saude (OOAS) 3 9th GA of IAPB 19/09/2012

The West-African Health Organisation (WAHO) is ECOWAS specialized agency for health. Created in 1987 but became operational only in WAHO’s Mission: « the attainment of the highest possible standard and protection of health of the peoples in the region through the harmonisation of policies of member states, pooling of resources, cooperation with one another and others for collective and strategic combat against the health problems in the region ». Priority: Prevention of Blindness and visual impairment were a priority. Guiding principles: Vision 2020, the Right to Sight initiative Focus: Coordination of actions and actors. 4 9th GA of IAPB 19/09/2012

Coordination of vision 2020 in West-Africa To achieve the Vision 2020 objectives, WAHO created a partnership of all stakeholders covering all components of eye health. The West-African Advocacy Forum of Vision 2020 at WAHO : a platform for information exchange, experience for better coordination and implementation of Vision 2020 the Right to Sight in the region. Created in 2002 in Abidjan Approved by theGeneral Assembly of Ministers of ECOWAS in Accra, in Forum held bi-annually, brings together all stakeholders in eye health. 5 9th GA of IAPB 19/09/2012

Vision 2020 Forum (Abuja 2006) 6 9th GA of IAPB 19/09/2012

7 Vision 2020 Forum ( Conakry 2012)

Composition of the Forum A. Action Group B. NGO-Coordination Group C.Country Coordination Group D.Vision 2020 coordinator post A. Action Group - members: -3 representatives of MoH (Coordinators of Eye Health Programmes – one per linguistic block), - Co Chairs of IAPB -2 Representatives of training and eye health research institutions. - 2 representatives of the NGO- Coordination Group 8 9th GA of IAPB 19/09/2012

-1 representative of professional associations (OASO, AFCO) 1 Representative of civil society -1 Representative of WAHO -The coordinator of Vision A. Composition of Action Group (Ctd.) Action Group meeting Bobo-Dioulasso th GA of IAPB 19/09/2012

B. NGO-Coordination Group -Representative of each international NGO involved in eye health in West-Africa. -Co chairs of IAPB -WAHO representative -Vision 2020 Coordinator C. Country Coordination Group. Brings together all stakeholders at local level. Presently and partially operational in Burkina Faso and Ghana only D. Vision 2020 coordination post : At WAHO Secretariat for the Forum Last meeting in Accra Ghana April th GA of IAPB 19/09/2012

Issues of Interest (2003 – 2012) Childhood Blindness control Trachoma control Scale up of Cataract surgical rate( CSR) in WA Human Resource Development in eye health Promotion of eye health in ECOWAS countries (integration of PEC into PHC services) Improving eye health indicators management through the National Health Information Management System in the region 11 9th GA of IAPB 19/09/2012

Training of trainers in sutureless cataract surgery Strengthening of programmes and eye health services managers’ skills in management, ICT, GIS and data management. 12 9th GA of IAPB 19/09/2012 Human Resources Development

The Sheick Zayed Regional Eye Center Banjul The Gambia DESSO Conakry Guinea Development of Infrastructures and Equipments Sightsavers and patnersWAHO Sightsavers and CBM 13 9th GA of IAPB 19/09/2012

14 Development of Infrastructures and Equipments Optometry Training Centre in IOTA Bamako Mali

Advocacy and Resource Mobilisation Resolutions were voted and adopted by the ECOWAS Assembly of Health Ministers Previous resolutions were focused on how to accelerate the implementation of vision 2020 and improve national financial support to eye health. Latest resolution outcome led to change of programme name from National Blindness Control Programme to National Eye Health Programme with a holistic approach to eye health 15 9th GA of IAPB 19/09/2012

16 Advocacy and Resource Mobilisation (ctd) Mobilization of additional resources that a single country could not mobilize: For example -£1,315, from Sightsavers and partners for the Sheick Zayed Regional Eye Center - The DESSO from WAHO CBM Sightsavers …etc -The optometry training centre in Francophone West Africa from WAHO, IOTA, ICO-France Essilor International, Brien Holden Vision Institute..etc Visite at the Essilor HQ in Paris

Challenges In application of the WHA-Resolution all stakesholders came together to strenghten ECOWAS Member States with the newly adopted 5-year Vision 2020 plan in Inadequate financial resources. - Partial programmes implementation. - Several programmes’ plans overtaken by events -Limited resources for programme evaluation and review. 17 9th GA of IAPB 19/09/2012

Challenges (ctd) Given donor fatigue by technical and financial partners, finding new resources to prosecute eye health programmes remains a major challenge Despite multiple advocacy efforts at the highest level, the effective implementation of resolutions and recommendations continue to be a bottleneck. Way forward Given the many challenges to tackle, a revision of the time-tested coordination system which has withstood changing contexts could be one answer. 18 9th GA of IAPB 19/09/2012

Merci de votre très aimable attention Thank you for your kind attention Obrigado 19 9th GA of IAPB 19/09/2012