ECOWAS Parliamentary Committee Meets In Enugu

A five day joint meeting of Economic Community of West African States {ECOWAS} parliament committee on Gender, Employment Labour, and social Affairs, Health and social services has opened in Enugu with parliamentarians from various member nations in attendance.

The meeting, billed for 14 through 18 July, 2009 has as its theme: “Heath Burdens in the ECOWAS Sub- Region” is taking place at the famous Nike lake Resort Hotel, Enugu.

Our correspondent reports that the meeting involves experts on health related matters and would attempt to create awareness on long – standing reproductive health issues that confront the peoples of the community.

It was also gathered that the meeting, would also lay emphasis on reproductive health of both genders, and would equally try to get answers to some of the emerging health trends such as the Swine Flu and its impact within the sub region.

Parliamentarians and experts alike are expected to share experiences and ultimately adopt the best practices that would foster greater understanding of these health burdens, while highlighting more pro- active ways of tackling the challenges they bring to bear.

The meeting, The Tide also learnt, is expected to tackle areas of health development, access to quality and affordable health services as well as health financing with a view to building the capacity of the parliamentarians to pass legislation that would enhance the health situations of their constituents in member states.

The interaction, it is expected, may adopt a regional policy on free Medicare for victims of identified reproductive health maladies, particularly those that result from cultural| social practices such as the vagina fistula.

Health experts at the forum, are drawn from the world Health Organisation WHO, UNIFEM, PLAN, Nigeria Medical Association [NMA] and Africa Public Health Alliance among other local and international bodies.

Meanwhile, ECOWAS parliament is the Assembly of the peoples of the community and the members are deemed to represent all the citizens of the sub –region , the protocol establishing the parliament empowers it to consider any matter concerning the community and make recommendations to the various institutions and organs of the body.

Nigerian’s Deputy senate present, Ike Ekweremadu, is the parliament deputy speaker, while the meeting was declared open by the Enugu governor, Barrister Sullivan Chime, represented by his commissioner for education, Dr. Festus Uzor.