Attachments
The below is an English translation of the official declaration. Please refer to the French original for exact language.
Kinshasa, 26 July 2018
We, the Governors of the following provinces:
Bas Uele, Haut Katanga, Haut Uele, Haut-Lomami, Ituri, Kasai-Oriental, Lomami, Lualaba, Maniema, Mongala, Nord Kivu, Nord Ubangi, Sud Kivu, Sud Ubangi, Tanganyika, Tshopo
Today, 26 July 2018, on the occasion of the evaluation meeting of supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) in response to circulation of poliovirus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo);
Considering the declaration by the World Health Assembly in May 2012 considering the completion of polio eradication to be a programmatic emergency for global public health;
Taking note of the personal engagement and determination of His Excellency President S.E. Joseph Kabila Kabange to assure the health of all Congolese persons;
Considering the positive impact achieved through political engagement at all levels in combating the Ebola virus epidemic;
Considering the relaunch of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) as a priority component of a strengthened public health system;
Noting the unmet objectives of the Millennium Development Goals relating to the health of mothers and children in our country;
Taking note of the engagement made in 2004 at the African Union Summit for a concerted effort for the vaccination of children across Africa;
Considering the paramount necessity of governance and strong leadership by all political and administrative authorities, local elected officials, civil society, religious and traditional leaders and the public health authorities and infrastructure in strengthening public health systems for the benefit of the Congolese population;
Noting the risk of potential poliovirus spread from DR Congo internationally;
Considering the strong relationship between DR Congo and international partners, in particular WHO, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Rotary International;
We hereby commit:
To assure in our respective provinces and across the country the full implementation of all planned activities, notably:
To assure a more effective communication and social mobilization to ensure community engagement and participation;
To ensure the full participation and engagement of all local level political and administrative authorities, locally-elected officials, civil society, religious and traditional leaders, traditional therapeutes, women’s associations, young people’s associations, to ensure a coordinated action at all levels;
To strengthen the administrative and technical coordination in the planning and implementation of vaccination activities;
To strengthen the strategic approaches by targeting localities such as markets, railway stations, mining sites, schools, etc;
To remove all socio-cultural, religious and political barriers that are preventing all children from being vaccinated;
To mobilize the necessary financial resources internally, with view of ensuring vaccination activities;
To oversee through an accountability framework all above-listed activities, of which we will be responsible for implementation.
Kinshasa, 26 July 2018