Salé — The role of the African Academy of Health Sciences (AAHS) in Dakhla as a tool of choice for promoting health sovereignty in Africa was highlighted by several panelists and African experts, during a debate organized on Wednesday in Salé, as part of FAAPA’s 8th General Assembly, held under the theme “African News Agencies as a Vehicle for Promoting the Continent’s Health Sovereignty.”
During the panel discussion on “the media as a linchpin in helping manage health crises in Africa,” speakers emphasized the AAHS’s leading role as an institution dedicated to promoting research and development in the health sciences in Africa, with the ambition of becoming a hub for health development on a continental scale.
In this respect, Youns Bjijou, delegate director of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Science and Health, recalled that the Academy was launched last November in Dakhla with the ambition of actively contributing to the efforts of African countries in order to guarantee the continent’s health sovereignty.
Driven by a collective intelligence approach, the AAHS’s main mission is to promote federative and mobilizing South-South cooperation for African health sovereignty, said Bjijou.
Regarding the management of Covid 19 pandemi, the official stressed that Morocco, under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, had responded to its brothers on the continent to share its expertise in this field, noting that at the heart of this dynamic, the media had played a crucial role.
Bjijou also underlined that the AAHS is an institution dedicated to promoting research and development in the health sciences in Africa by focusing on excellence in health science teaching, and offering training tailored to the continent’s needs.
For his part, Momar Diongue, Managing Director of Senegalese News Agency (APS) referred to the African Academy as an “excellent initiative” resulting from South-South cooperation that has enabled the birth of health information.
He also stressed the need for this information to be properly framed to make it reliable and safe, hence the imperative to be proactive in ensuring the circulation of safe and reliable information, in particular to counter the flow of misinformation and manipulation in times of health crises.
Recalling the Covid-19 period, Diongue pointed out that press agencies had the mission not only to inform, but also to educate and raise awareness among the population of the health behaviors to adopt, adding that they were able to rise to the challenge of combating fake news.
For her part, Rainatou Euphrasie Véronique Adjami Barry, a physician and mission officer at the office of the Minister of Public Health of Burkina Faso, focused on ways to strengthen communication and collaboration among stakeholders (media, public authorities, and populations) to ensure the reliable and effective dissemination of scientific and medical information during health crises.
She also emphasized that African press agencies, with their capacity to inform, raise awareness, mobilize, and combat misinformation, are strategic partners.
By promoting scientific communication and investing in local solutions, she argued, Africa can not only effectively respond to health crises but also lay the groundwork for sustainable health sovereignty. She stressed that achieving this requires the commitment of all–governments, media, civil society, and citizens.
Following her remarks, Semgue Samba Kone, president of the National Press Authority (ANP) of Côte d’Ivoire, stated that developing health sovereignty on a continental scale represents a major challenge that calls upon all vital forces of the continent, including the media and especially national press agencies.
In Kone’s view, the media must work together to relay reliable information, combat fake news, and raise public awareness on public health issues through a cooperative and joint development approach.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Albert Kofi Owusi, highlighted the need to train journalists specializing in the health sector, a strategic area for the continent. The goal, he explained, is to respond to emerging epidemic situations and equip journalists with the skills necessary to disseminate reliable scientific information.
In this regard, he called for intensified training for journalists in various health-related fields, including microbiology and nutrition, noting the importance of practical experience to further enrich the theoretical knowledge provided by health journalism training and specialization.
The 8th General Assembly of FAAPA aims to shed light on ways to promote and strengthen African health sovereignty to better face future challenges.
This two-day assembly brings together Directors-General of several African news agencies, alongside media and health experts, as well as distinguished personalities from various backgrounds.
It also marks the 10th anniversary of FAAPA’s establishment, providing a platform for reflection on the future of African news agencies and the role they must play in the 21st century, respecting their diversity and unique characteristics.
