The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has initiated a three-day workshop aimed at enhancing regional capacity for the West African Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (WENDU). This event, held at the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, also marked the official validation of the 2024 WENDU dataset by Member States. The initiative underscores ECOWAS’s commitment to improving drug control measures, public health, and security across the region.
Dr. Daniel Amankwaah delivered opening remarks on behalf of H.E. Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs. He praised national focal points and resource persons for their dedication to developing WENDU reports since 2014. Dr. Amankwaah acknowledged the financial and technical support from the European Union and ENACT-Africa initiative, which facilitated previous WENDU publications.
A significant announcement during the event was the launch of a new ECOWAS digital platform dedicated to drug data management. This system aims to improve data entry by national focal points and provide real-time access and analysis at the Commission level. It is expected to enhance surveillance, coordination, and policy response capabilities in drug control.
The ceremony coincided with ECOWAS Day and marked the start of celebrations for ECOWAS’s 50th Anniversary. As part of these commemorations, a documentary on drug prevention and control in West Africa will be released.
The workshop’s technical session focused on validating the 2024 WENDU data, which will inform an upcoming report to be launched in a Member State. The session emphasized collecting, analyzing, and disseminating drug-related data with updated methodologies.
Pharm. Henrietta Bakura-Onyeneke from Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health stressed the need for renewed commitment to addressing evolving drug issues using accurate data. She urged participants to engage fully in capacity-building sessions for effective application of new tools.
She highlighted robust national surveillance systems’ importance in ensuring that WENDU data reflects persistent challenges and emerging trends across Member States: “This is not merely a technical exercise,” she stated, “but a call to action to protect the health and dignity of our communities.”
Dr. Albert Dalmanda from ECOWAS Commission noted May 28 as both ECOWAS’s founding date and workshop commencement day. He reaffirmed shared goals under ECOWAS Vision 2050: transitioning from an ECOWAS of States to one united by prosperity, dignity, and peace.
He linked combating drug abuse with broader objectives like human security and youth empowerment: “The workshop is not only a technical exercise but a reaffirmation of ECOWAS’s commitment to people-centered governance.”
Dr. Dalmanda encouraged ownership over WENDU mechanisms among participants so validated data translates into actionable policies while stressing cross-sectoral collaboration against drug threats.
Aligned with ECOWAS Management Strategy 2022–2026 focusing on institutional strengthening through digital transformation—launching this platform supports strategic pillars like Improved Service Delivery—and reinforces frameworks such as ECOWARN via credible threat data.
Ultimately impacting citizens directly; safer communities emerge alongside responsive public health systems fostering inclusion especially among youth/women affected by drugs—outcomes cascading down into national systems enhancing protection efforts per state needs.
As digital cooperation ushers integrated health security forward—the validated 2024 WENDU process marks pivotal progress aligning leadership/data/political will towards one goal: achieving safer/resilient West Africa—a vision encapsulated within ‘ECOWAS Peoples.’