#Editorial

Good Morning Mr. President: On OIC and Health 

Jul 18, 2022, 11:23 AM

Mr. President, people are questioning the possibility of hosting the OIC Summit this year. In reality, if the time frame is November, then the road projects and the five star hotel whose foundation you would lay on Saturday 23rd July 2023, should be built to host some of the guests including heads of state and kings.

So this may not be completed putting into account the rainy season and other factors.

It  could be deferred again as it was done in Morocco, Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Senegal, who postponed twice before they hosted  the summit in 2008 for the second time. 

Mr. President, We need good and lasting roads and the five star hotel also needs to be built solidly. The government should not rush and get worse quality. 

In May this year, hydromet predicted heavy rain falls which could delay the job. Other challenges of the government are to address the frequent power failures, shortage of water supply, and improve the internet service to be reliable and affordable.

The best option to host the OIC summit is in 2023, and by that time the projects and other challenges would have been addressed.

Mr. President, the Government should not be in a hurry and fail.

Since many participants will come through Blaise Diagne Airport in Senegal and come by road, Barra and Banjul terminals should be rehabilitated and the ferries should go for maintenance before the summit. 

The OIC, which groups 57 countries, is the second largest world organisation after the UN, so modern equipment should also be given to the security to make their work easier and effective. 

Mr. President, it is important to note that the suspension of 371 Public and Environmental Health Officers has an effect on the health of the population. Some of the interventions of Public and Environmental Health Officers include: Disease Surveillance, Bio surveillance, managing complex emergencies, outbreak investigation and response, epidemiological analysis, port health and points of entry, health promotion and education, emergency risk,  communication and community engagement, prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, counselling, school health, nutrition interventions, environmental inspection, vaccination, hygiene and sanitation, indoor residual spraying, vector control, bed net distribution, health facilities waste management, guiding policy makers, etc.

Their work also includes central, regional, district health facilities and at community levels. Their roles also include the implementations of the International Health Regulation (2005). Therefore, suspending these officers that are supposed to implement the above activities for the purpose of promoting, protecting and preventing health for a period of two months (60) days can result in a serious health crisis in the county.

Still on health matters, the Director of the Food Safety and Quality Authority (FSQA) Mr. Momadou Bah disclosed on Friday that the Laboratory test in Dakar confirmed the presence of sniper in smoked fish. Measures should be taken for the culprits to face the full force of the law. Government should also assist hospitals to get their own laboratories to test food items, requests can be made through friendly countries.

 

Good day!