SOGUI-SAP scientific days: Guinea reaffirms its ambition for sustainable public health

The fourth edition of the Scientific Days of the Guinean Public Health Society opened this Friday, November 28, bringing together decision-makers, researchers, technical and financial partners, as well as experts from West and Central Africa.

A meeting that has become unmissable, in a context marked by global health challenges, recurring crises and a drop in funding, which are pushing nations to reinvent their resilience strategies.

Advances in public health

It was Dr Oumar Diouhé Bah, Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, who delivered the official opening speech of these 4th Scientific Days of the Guinean Society of Public Health. In his speech, the minister insisted on recent progress, particularly in terms of vaccination.

“The elephant is gaining weight. He's ready to really race the race that's needed." he said, referring to the Guinean health system. He also highlighted that the international community has recently recognized exceptional and historic advances in vaccination coverage in Guinea. The minister's message is clear and unambiguous: “Guinea wants to consolidate the achievements and accelerate reforms to meet the expectations of the populations”, said Dr Oumar Diouhé Bah.

A young Guinean public health company, but already a pillar

The president of the Guinean Public Health Society, Professor Abdoulaye Touré, project manager of the event, welcomed the strong mobilization of experts and partners. On this occasion, he recalled the progress made. “We organized the first Days in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. We have not stopped, and today we are holding the 4th edition to perpetuate this meeting,” rejoiced Professor Abdoulaye Touré.

This year, the theme focuses on health security, vaccination, maternal health, as well as the need for health architectures capable of preventing, detecting and responding to crises. Professor Touré, however, warned of a worrying global context, marked by the scarcity of financial resources in the health sector. “We are witnessing a trend reduction in funding allocated to health and biomedical research. At the same time, disinformation threatens public trust in our institutions,” he explained.

The Days are intended to be a collective response, structured around conferences, oral communications and posters, addressing themes ranging from endemic diseases to artificial intelligence in public health.

Guinea remains an elephant in terms of public health

On behalf of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Komi Ahawo delivered a speech marked by both emotion and the history of the partnership with Guinea. “There was a time when, to understand the resilience of a health system, you had to come to Guinea. In my village, they say that an elephant, even if it has lost weight in any way, cannot be called a goat”, remembers Komi Ahawo, regional director for West and Central Africa at the Gavi general secretariat.

For him, Guinea remains a major player in scientific thinking on public health in Africa. Despite the challenges, the country continues to choose trust and lay the foundations for systemic reconstruction. He nevertheless warned: “Global financing and official development assistance are undergoing drastic reductions. Instead of putting more money into health, let's think about getting more health with the available funding. »

Gavi reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the strengthening of supply chains, digital tools, genomic surveillance and emerging technologies in Guinea. “The road is still long, but we will continue to move forward alongside Guinea with the same ambition and the same faith in the capabilities of this country,” he concluded.

A room full of ideas, wisdom and intelligence

Speaking in turn, the head of health programs at the European Union delegation, Enrico Colombo, welcomed the diversity of the actors gathered at these Days. “A room full of ideas, full of analysis, full of wisdom and full of intelligence”, he declared enthusiastically.

In a speech of great depth, he returned to the foundations of public health, summoning Hippocrates to underline the nobility and complexity of the discipline.
“Public health is an art and a science… it is at the same time the knowledge of a scholar, the art of a craftsman and the finesse of an artist”, said Enrico Colombo.

According to him, Guinea is at an essential turning point, where prevention must once again become central: nutrition, food quality, addictions, vaccination, mental health.
“Public health is inseparable from economic, environmental and social considerations”, he recalled, calling for intelligent and sustainable interventions.

Between the presentation of particularly relevant research results and open and participatory scientific debates, participants said they were reassured about the country's capacity to move forward collectively towards sustainable solutions. Carried by this dynamic, they now display real serenity regarding the continuation of the work.

As Professor Touré recalled in his speech: “These Days must formulate relevant recommendations to inform public decisions. »

Mamadou Kindy BAH