September 24, 2024 (Dikhil, Djibouti): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has held, today, intra and inter-country cross border meeting between Ethiopia and Djibouti, in Dikhil, under the cross-border collaboration and dissemination of the results of the HIV, TB, and Malaria service availability and readiness in cross border areas adjacent to refugee camps.
The overall objectives of the two days meeting is to exchange information on cross border referral tracking and Cross border TB programs and to disseminate the result of the HIV, TB and Malaria service availability and readiness assessment cross border health facilities, as well as, to review implementation of joint agreed actions and lessons learnt.
During the opening ceremony of the intra- and inter-country cross-border meeting between Ethiopia and Djibouti, in Dikhil town, Mrs. Fathia Alwan, Director, Health and Social Development Division, the Deputy Prefect of Dikhil M Youssouf Ali Iyeh, and the representative of the Ethiopian Minister of Health, Ms Tilaye Gudina presented.
Speaking on behalf of Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, Executive Secretary of IGAD, Mrs. Fathia Alwan, Director of Health and Social Development Division, explained that the Cross-border cooperation in public health, such as Dikhil region, concerns, beyond local populations, migrants, as well as thousands of road workers who use the transport corridor every day and the most important between Djibouti and Ethiopia.
“In this regard, allow me to inform you that the President of the Republic, H.E. El Hajj Ismail Omar Guelleh , who is currently the current President of IGAD, has just sent an official letter in 2024 on behalf of IGAD to the Global Health Fund, reminding this international institution of the importance that our States attach to the health of the most vulnerable of our fellow citizens and more specifically across these cross-border areas,” she added
The Director also described that the national authorities at the top of our Member States have endowed IGAD with the privilege of being able, through its regional mandate, to intervene directly in the cross-border areas in order to expand and strengthen the interventions of our national health systems in these areas.
in his remaks, the deputy prefect of Dikhil, Mr Youssouf Ali Iyeh, welcomed the participants and wished every success to the work of this intra- and inter-country cross-border meeting between Ethiopia and Djibouti.
Dr. Djama Moussa, Chief Medical Officer of the Dikhil Health region, in his part stated that in order to prevent any epidemic transmission between the two countries, strengthen cross-border medical cooperation is important.
According to chief Medical officer, the meeting opens an opportunity for officials to recall the context and interest of cross-border collaboration between the two countries.
“This will strengthen the capacity to respond to public health emergencies, ensure surveillance, conduct research on priority public health issues and improve the exchange of health information for decision-making”, he stressed.
It is stated on the occasion, strengthening the cross-border collaboration for improved TB-HIV service delivery is one of the objectives of the ongoing Global Fund supported IGAD grant.
The meeting brought together participants from from cross border health facilities, health districts, Implementing partners, Immigration, border security officers, regional and National focal person for TB in Cross border and refugee, sub recipients of the grant and CCM members in certain areas.
The intra and inter-country cross border meeting is financed by Global Fund.
At the end the meeting resulted in sharing experiences on cross border TB collaboration and tracked cross border referrals and in disseminating the results of HIV, TB and Malaria service availability and readiness assessment in cross border health facilities.
The Dikhil region is located along the longest border that the Republic of Djibouti shares with Ethiopia. The road axis which links the port of Djibouti to Addis Ababa was finalised in 1975.
