ECOWAS Officials Attended the Inauguration of The West African College of Physicians (WACP) Hotel Complex in Abuja, Nigeria

On Wednesday 30 October 2024, Dr. Melchior Athanase Joël C. AISSI, Director General of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), assisted at the inauguration ceremony of the WACP Hotel and Conference Centre in Abuja. WAHO is a specialised agency of ECOWAS, based in Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso), created in 1987 by the Heads of State and Government of the fifteen ECOWAS member countries, whose objective is to offer the highest level of healthcare provision to the populations of the sub-region.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Director General of WAHO congratulated the WACP management on having built this imposing infrastructure dedicated to professionals and individuals, which will provide them with accommodation in a splendid setting and enable them to organise a wide range of events: seminars, private receptions, conferences, cocktail parties, congresses or symposiums. He described the WACP as a dynamic organisation that is making a significant contribution to promoting a better healthcare system in West Africa.

‘We will work to strengthen our collaboration and be assured that you will always have the support of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) through WAHO,’ said Dr Melchior Athanase Joël C. AISSI.

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He also pointed out that the College provides information to ECOWAS countries on health issues through WAHO. It also works actively with WAHO on policy development, including the harmonisation and equivalence of postgraduate medical qualifications in the sub-region.

This inauguration is one of the highlights of the 48th Annual General and Scientific Meeting (AGSM) of the WACP, which has been taking place since Monday 28 October 2024 in Abuja, bringing together health experts from the 13 member countries on the theme: “Strengthening Healthcare Systems in West Africa: Opportunities and Challenges.”

The West African College of Physicians (WACP) is a professional organization founded in 1976 and dedicated to the advancement of medical education and practice in West Africa. It was established to promote high standards of medical training, practice, and research in the region. Its primary objective is to improve the quality of healthcare by setting and maintaining high standards for medical education and practice in West Africa and it serves as an advisor on health policy to many participating governments in West Africa.

The college offers membership and fellowship to qualified medical practitioners in various specialties and subspecialties. The WACP is also involved in organizing postgraduate medical training programs and examinations. Physicians who complete these programs and pass the examinations are awarded membership or fellowship status, depending on their level of qualification.