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Published August 22, 2022 / Public health

President Gnassingbé urges African states to join the Lomé Initiative

20220822-RC72-DiscoursFG

August 22, Lomé, Togo - At the opening of the 72nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé urged African states to join the Lomé Initiative against Falsified and Substandard Medicines (FSM):

"Nearly half of all reports of trafficking come from sub-Saharan Africa, and worse, that over 100,000 deaths of children under 5 each year are linked to the use of poor-quality antimalarials. I therefore call on all the other countries that have not yet signed up to the initiative to join us in this fight.

 

The political declaration of theLomé Initiativesigned on January 18, 2020 by six African countries (Republic of Congo, Ghana, Niger, Uganda, Senegal and Togo) aims to implement national plans to combat FSM through interministerial action and a coordinated contribution from public authorities and the private sector. The initiative is coordinated by the Republic of Togo.

 

Watch an excerpt from the speech (subtitles available in English and French):

The 72nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa is chaired by the Togolese Minister of Health, Public Hygiene and Universal Access to Health Care, Pr Moustafa Mijiyawa.

Caption: Opening speech by Pr Moustafa Mijiyawa, Minister of Health, Public Hygiene and Universal Access to Health Care of the Togolese Republic, at the opening ceremony of the 72nd WHO Regional Committee for Africa.