JIEPH supplements

Overview of Preparedness and Response to public health emergencies in the ECOWAS Region

The health system of the African region was hit by the most devastating shock during the 2014 – 2015 Ebola Virus Disease outbreak. The epidemic lead to over 11,000 deaths and left the health systems of countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea almost at the verge of collapse. The major lesson learnt from the epidemic was the need for countries to be adequately prepared to respond to any public health emergency they are faced with.
To address this problem, the West African Health Organization (WAHO) conducted an epidemic preparedness and response assessment in the ECOWAS member states in 2018. The aim of the assessment was to assess the current state of the health systems and identify gaps that needed to be addressed to enable countries effectively respond to future epidemics. The assessment covered 9 major thematic areas; namely coordination, legislation and policies, surveillance on epidemic prone diseases and risk of health emergencies, workforce development and capacity to contain epidemics and health emergencies, risk communication for epidemics and health emergencies, cross boarder preparedness and response, strengthening laboratory systems and networks, the one health approach and resource mobilization for epidemic and health emergencies preparedness and response. As findings from this assessment were been deliberated upon to clearly map out strategies for implementation, the entire world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Before any cases were recorded in the West African region, WAHO again conducted a rapid assessment on countries preparedness for COVID -19.
With support from the African Field Epidemiology Network and West African Health Organization, findings from these assessments are presented in this supplement. Manuscripts focus mainly on preparedness, response and mitigation strategies of countries and the ECOWAS sub-region as a whole. The supplement is made of ten manuscripts detailing the epidemic preparedness and response assessment in individual member countries, the COVID-19 capacity assessment, and workforce capacity assessments in the ECOWAS Region

Guest editors: Prof Margaret Lartey and Dr Mahmood Dalhat

Contact: Dr Lokossou Kuassi Virgil, Executive Director, ECOWAS Regional Center for Surveillance and Disease Control, West African Health Organisation
Prof Ernest Kenu, Director, Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, University of Ghana School of Public Health, Legon, Accra

Supplement booklet (PDF) not available



Table of contents


Capacity assessment of the Gambia’s emergency preparedness and response system (Research)

Sana Sambou, Delia Akosua Bandoh, Ernest Kenu, Johnson Ermel, Kofi Mensah Nyarko, Virgil Kuassi Lokossou

Journal of Intervention Epidemiology and Public Health. 28 October 2022. 5(2): 1

[PDF - 823 KB]

Capacity assessment of Nigeria for health emergencies preparedness and response (Research)

Womi Eteng Oboma Eteng, Vincent Jessey Ganu, Delia Akosua Bandoh, Gloria Margaretta Chandi, Ernest Kenu, Chikwe Ihekweazu, Virgil Kaussi Lokossou

Journal of Intervention Epidemiology and Public Health. 01 November 2022. 5(2): 2

[PDF - 797 KB]

Workforce capacity assessment for public health emergencies, disaster preparedness and response in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, April – July, 2018 (Research)

Virgil Lokossou, Kofi Mensah Nyarko, Emma Edinam Kploanyi, Delia Akosua Bandoh, Patrick Nguku, Bernard Sawadogo, Simon Nyovuura Antara, Ernest Kenu

Journal of Intervention Epidemiology and Public Health. 07 November 2022. 5(2): 3

[PDF - 1 MB]

State of Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Capacity of Ghana (Research)

Franklin Asiedu-Berkoe, Gloria Margaretta Chandi, Delia Akosua Bandoh, Benedicta Kafui Atsu, Virgil Kuassi Lokossou, Simon Nyovuura Antara, Badu Sarkodie, Ernest Kenu

Journal of Intervention Epidemiology and Public Health. 07 November 2022. 5(2): 4

[PDF - 815 KB]

Capacity assessment of Liberia for health emergencies and disaster preparedness and response (Research)

Mosoka Fallah, Basil Benduri Kaburi, Kofi Mensah Nyarko, Delia Akosua Bandoh, Abraham Nyenswah, Issiaka Sombie, Simon Nyovuura Antara, Virgil Kuassi Lokossou, Ernest Kenu

Journal of Intervention Epidemiology and Public Health. 07 November 2022. 5(2): 5

[PDF - 778 KB]

Strengthening preparedness and response to epidemics in West Africa: a scoping review of strengths, gaps, and challenges (2016-2019) (Research)

Virgil Lokossou, Emma Edinam Kploanyi, Delia Akosua Bandoh, Edgard-Marius Ouendo, Issiaka Sombie, Kofi Mensah Nyarko, Ernest Kenu

Journal of Intervention Epidemiology and Public Health. 07 November 2022. 5(2): 6

[PDF - 1 MB]

COVID-19 Pandemic Response Capacity Status of West Africa (Research)

Virgil Kuassi Lokossou, Basil Benduri Kaburi, Delia Akosua Bandoh, Edgard Marius Ouendo, Aboubacar Ouédraogo, Franklin Aseidu-Bekoe, Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, Issiaka Sombié, Donmozoun Télesphore Somé , Ermel Amewsue Johnson, Ernest Kenu

Journal of Intervention Epidemiology and Public Health. 08 December 2022. 5(2): 7

[PDF - 1 MB]

Assessment of the epidemic preparedness and response capacity in Sierra Leone (Research)

Mohamed Vandi, Delia Akosua Bandoh, Kofi Mensah Nyarko, Tete Amouh, Virgil Kuassi Lokossou, Simon Antara, Ernest Kenu

Journal of Intervention Epidemiology and Public Health. 15 December 2022. 5(2): 8

[PDF - 763 KB]

Evaluation de la capacité de préparation et de riposte aux urgences sanitaires du Sénégal (Research)

Bernard Sawadogo, Babacar Fall, Babacar Ndoye, Ibrahim Sonko, Delia Akosua Bandoh, Ernest Kenu, Virgil Lokossou

Journal of Intervention Epidemiology and Public Health. 26 December 2022. 5(2): 9

[PDF - 1 MB]

The state of public health emergency preparedness and response capacity among countries in the ECOWAS region (Editorial)

Mahmood Dalhat, Margaret Yaa Lartey

Journal of Intervention Epidemiology and Public Health. 29 December 2022. 5(2): 10

[PDF - 614 KB]

Evaluation de la capacite de preparation et de riposte aux urgences sanitaires au Burkina Faso (Research)

Bernard Sawadogo, Brice Bicaba, Ernest Kenu, Delia Akosua Bandoh, Olivier Manigard, Issiaka Sombie, Simon Nyovuura Antara, Kofi Mensah Nyarko, Virgil Kuassi Lokossou

Journal of Intervention Epidemiology and Public Health. 30 December 2022. 5(2): 11

[PDF - 823 KB]

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Volume 7 (Jul - Sep 2024)
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The Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). The contents of this journal is intended exclusively for public health professionals and allied disciplines.