35th
WEST AFRICAN COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS
ANNUAL GENERAL AND SCIENTIFIC MEETING
BANJUL, THE GAMBIA
6TH -11TH NOVEMBER, 2011
COMMUNIQUÉ
PREAMBLE
 The 35th Annual General and Scientific Meeting of the West African College of Physicians
was held at the Kairaba Hotels, Banjul, The Gambia from 6th -11th November 2011.

The Minister for Health of the Republic of the Gambia Hon Fatim Badjie declared the
meeting open on behalf of the Vice President of the Republic of the Gambia, Her
Excellency, Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy on Tuesday, the 8th of November, 2011.

The themes of the conference were “Recent Advances in Human Nutrition with special
reference to developing countries” and “Recent advances in emerging infectious
diseases”.

About four hundred and fifty delegates from The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, the
Republic of Benin, la Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, the United
Kingdom and the United States of America attended the conference. Presidents of sister
West African Colleges and the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria
(NPMCN) also attended. There were also delegates from the Royal College of Physicians
and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health of UK.

The academic activities of the meeting included the following:
o The Mabayoje College Lecture, titled “Brain ageing in Health and Disease” delivered
by Dr. Olusegun Baiyewu on behalf of the Faculty of Psychiatry.
o Lecture by Dr Brian Greenwood on ‘Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention: where
should it be implemented?’
o Lecture on ‘Challenges of 21st Century infectious diseases’ by Dr Phyllis Guze of the
American College of Physicians
o Guest lectures on the theme and subthemes of the conference were delivered.
o Scientific presentations on health and health related issues
OBSERVATIONS
1. Infectious diseases are still a major cause of morbidity and mortality especially in underfives in our sub region.
2. The challenges of 21st century infectious diseases relate primarily to emerging and reemerging infectious diseases that will pose a threat to world health.
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3. Tuberculosis remains an importance cause of morbidity and mortality due to challenges
of prevention, difficulties in diagnosis and multiple drug resistance.
4. Re-emerging infectious diseases like Lassa fever are a source of concern in the sub region.
5. It was reported that the Orange Flesh Sweet Potato given to young children is a highly
cost effective method of improving their vitamin A status.
RECOMMENDATIONS
General
To build and sustain the capacity to prevent, diagnose and treat re-emerging infections in
our sub region
Recommendations to Governments
1. The role of environmental sanitation, health education, immunization against vaccine
preventable diseases and good nutrition in the health of the child must be brought to the
fore.
2. Governments must be alert and responsible in planning to mitigate the effects of emerging
infectious diseases like Lassa fever.
3. Governments should strengthen surveillance systems to identify emerging and reemerging infectious diseases in the sub region.
4. Integration of agriculture, nutrition and health extension will maximize the general health
and well being of the people in the sub region to better deal with infectious diseases.
RESOLUTIONS
The West African College of Physicians reaffirms its commitment to:
1. Human capital development in the health sector for appropriate health care delivery.
2. Specifically, supporting the efforts of manpower development in Liberia, the Gambia,
Sierra Leone, Benin Republic, Cote D’Ivoire and Senegal.
3. The promotion of the health of the people of the West African sub-region.
4. Playing an advisory and consultative role to the Governments in the planning and the
delivery of health services in the sub- region.
5. The fulfilment of financial obligations to the college by the constituent governments of the
West African sub region.
6. The provision of infrastructural facilities for the running of the various Chapters of the
College by various constituent governments in their respective countries.
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