The West African Health Organisation (WAHO), the Specialised Institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) responsible for health issues, and the Global Fund signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday, 16th February 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland, marking an important milestone in strengthening regional cooperation in public health.
The signing took place during an official mission of the WAHO delegation led by its Director General, Dr Melchior Athanase J. C. Aïssi, at the headquarters of the Global Fund.
The agreement establishes a structured framework for collaboration aimed at supporting ECOWAS Member States in improving the financing of their health systems and enhancing their resilience to health challenges.
Both institutions also held in-depth strategic discussions to develop a joint regional advocacy plan focused on health financing and public financial management in the health sector. The objective is to support Member States in moving towards greater financial autonomy and gradually reducing dependence on external funding.
For WAHO, this partnership represents a major lever to assist West African countries in transitioning to stronger, more sustainable and better-financed health systems. It aligns with regional efforts to accelerate progress towards Universal Health Coverage and to ensure the continuity of essential health services for populations.
WAHO and the Global Fund expressed their shared commitment to swiftly move into the operational phase in order to translate these commitments into tangible and measurable results for the benefit of countries across the region.
