AGP Executive Report

WAHO Leadership: Togolese public health expert Prof. Palokinam Pitche has officially started as Director-General of the West African Health Organization (WAHO) on Sept. 1, bringing over 25 years of experience in HIV and health systems work, including leadership roles in Togo’s national AIDS response. Disease Watch: Nigeria’s Plateau State reports a diphtheria outbreak with 23 deaths and 143 suspected cases in two weeks, citing antitoxin shortages and late presentation as key barriers to faster diagnosis and treatment. Health Financing: The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Center of Statistics opened a workshop in Togo to help health ministries and statisticians build tools that show health spending as an economic investment, not just a cost. COPD Advocacy: A global coalition launched a new Joint Declaration urging governments to close COPD gaps in diagnosis, treatment access, prevention, and continuous care. Food & Nutrition Security: Togo’s John Dumelo called for stronger regional collaboration to make West Africa self-sufficient in rice production and cut reliance on imports.

WAHO Leadership: Togolese public health expert Prof. Palokinam Pitche officially assumed office as Director-General of the West African Health Organization (WAHO) on Sept. 1, bringing over 25 years of experience in HIV care, health systems strengthening, and regional protocol harmonization. Disease Watch: Nigeria’s Plateau State reported a diphtheria outbreak with 23 deaths and 143 suspected cases in two weeks, citing antitoxin shortages and late presentation as key hurdles. Health Financing for Impact: The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Center of Statistics (ACS) trained Togo and three other countries to build health-focused Social Accounting Matrices, helping policymakers see health spending as an investment. Health System Voice: A regional initiative will strengthen patient support centres in three West African countries, aiming to give patients a stronger say in healthcare. Regional Health Diplomacy: Togo’s health leadership moves alongside broader regional cooperation as WAHO takes on renewed importance for ECOWAS health priorities.

Diphtheria Alert: Plateau State reports 23 deaths and 143 suspected diphtheria cases in two weeks, with patients treated in isolation but facing shortages of antitoxin and late presentation, plus delays in confirming cases due to missing lab sample containers. Regional Health Leadership: Professor Palokinam T. Pitche has formally assumed office as Director-General of WAHO, bringing over 25 years of health systems and public health experience, including leadership roles in Togo’s HIV/AIDS programmes. Health Financing Push: ECA’s African Center of Statistics runs a five-day workshop in Togo and other countries to help health ministries build “health as an investment” economic accounts, linking health spending to households, jobs, and the wider economy. Governance for Health Systems: Togo launched a National Accounting Council (CNC-Togo) to strengthen financial reporting and accountability—an indirect but important step for better-funded, better-managed public services. Policy Watch: Togo cosponsored a move to review commercial whaling quotas, drawing criticism from conservation groups.

French Detention Update: Two French filmmakers and their Togolese fixer, arrested in late July while making a France Télévisions documentary, were freed under judicial supervision after weeks in detention in Togo; their lawyer says continued detention is no longer needed to “establish the truth,” though Togolese authorities still cite “serious evidence” and alleged irregularities, including drone use in northern areas hit by jihadist attacks. Health Systems & Patient Rights: WAHO launched Health Service User Support Centres in Lomé for Benin, The Gambia, and Togo, aiming to give patients a dignified place to report problems, seek guidance, and access mediation—so recurring issues can feed into better healthcare quality and safety. WAHO Leadership: Professor Palokinam T. Pitche formally assumed office as WAHO Director-General on September 1, bringing over 25 years of experience, including leadership roles in Togo’s national HIV/AIDS response. Public Health Alert: Diphtheria in Nigeria’s Plateau State has reportedly killed 23 people with 143 suspected cases, with shortages of diphtheria antitoxin and late presentation cited as key challenges. Togo in Global Health Governance: Togo is also linked to regional health financing work, with Togo among countries trained to build economic cases for health spending.

WAHO Leadership: Professor Palokinam T. Pitche has officially assumed office as Director-General of WAHO (ECOWAS), bringing over 25 years of public health and health systems experience, including past leadership in Togo’s National AIDS response. Ebola Response: The UK announced an additional £51m to fight the Congo Ebola outbreak, citing rising cases and deaths and pledging stronger surveillance, infection prevention, treatment access, and safe burials. Patient Voice in Care: WAHO launched Health Service User Support Centres in Lomé for Benin, The Gambia, and Togo—meant to go beyond complaints by enabling dialogue, mediation, and system improvements. Health Financing Skills: A UN ECA workshop is training Togo and other countries to build health-focused Social Accounting Matrices, helping ministries show health spending as an investment. Workplace Safety Focus: Togo’s Gilbert Houngbo is seeking a second term as ILO Director-General, highlighting progress on occupational safety and health and apprenticeships. Cross-Border Health Access: A women-focused trade group urges stronger ECOWAS free-movement implementation at the Ghana–Togo border, so people can cross with fewer restrictions.

WAHO Patient Voice: WAHO launched Health Service User Support Centres in Benin, The Gambia and Togo, starting in Lomé on 21 August, to help patients report problems, get guidance, and access dialogue and mediation—not just a complaints desk. WAHO Leadership: Professor Palokinam T. Pitche formally assumed office as new Director-General of WAHO, bringing long experience from Togo’s AIDS programmes and regional health systems work. Clean Cooking for Health: Togo signed a CFAF 4.7 billion financing deal to scale improved cookstoves nationwide, aiming to cut firewood and charcoal use and protect forests while improving household health; about 107,000 households already received stoves under the pilot. Health Spending as Investment: A UN ECA workshop in Togo trained health ministries and statistics offices to build tools that show health spending’s economic returns, supporting better planning and budgeting. Digital Safety for Women: Nigeria’s WhatsApp chatbot “Kemi” is expanding support for technology-facilitated gender-based violence across Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Togo and Cameroon, guiding users to reporting and local help channels. Workplace Health Policy: Togo’s Gilbert Houngbo is seeking a second term as ILO Director-General, highlighting reforms tied to occupational safety and health and apprenticeships.

Clean Cooking for Health: Togo signed a CFAF 4.7 billion deal to scale up improved cookstoves, aiming to cut household smoke from firewood and charcoal while protecting forests; the pilot has already reached about 107,000 households, with expansion planned nationwide through 2032. Patient Voice in Care: West African Health Organisation (WAHO) launched Health Service User Support Centres in Benin, The Gambia and Togo, giving patients a dignified place to report problems, seek guidance, and support dialogue and mediation to improve care quality. Workplace Health & Safety (Media): A Togo survey by SYNJIT flags poor working conditions for private media journalists—low pay, insecure jobs, and limited health coverage—highlighting a wider need for better social protection. Health Access & Governance: Togo also launched the National Accounting Council (CNC-Togo) to strengthen reliable, comparable financial reporting—an indirect but important step for funding and accountability in health services. Cross-border Health Risks: A report notes a deportation case where a man with protection from torture ended up in Togo and contracted malaria, underscoring urgent health and legal safeguards for vulnerable migrants.

Health Service Feedback: WAHO launched Health Service User Support Centres in Benin, The Gambia and Togo to give patients a dignified place to report problems, seek guidance, and access dialogue and mediation—aiming to improve quality and safety in healthcare. Clean Cooking & Health: Togo signed a CFAF 4.7 billion (about $8.5m) financing deal to scale improved cookstoves nationwide, targeting cleaner household cooking to protect forests and reduce health risks from firewood and charcoal smoke. Workplace Malaria Support: A West Africa survey and report call for a stronger private-sector role in malaria prevention, noting many workers lack workplace support and urging employers to move from awareness to action. Cross-Border Trade Access: A women-focused trade group (TBN) urged ECOWAS and both governments to make free movement real at the Ghana–Togo border, so women traders face fewer restrictions when crossing for health, personal, and business needs. Governance & Health System Links: Togo launched a National Accounting Council (CNC-Togo) to strengthen reliable financial reporting—an indirect but important step for better public service delivery, including health.

Health Service Feedback: WAHO has launched Health Service User Support Centres in Lomé to help patients in Togo, Benin and The Gambia report problems, get guidance, and access dialogue/mediation—aiming to improve quality and safety beyond “complaints desks.” Clean Cooking & Health: Togo signed a CFAF 4.7 billion (US$8.5m) financing deal to scale improved cookstoves nationwide, targeting cleaner household cooking to protect forests and reduce health risks from firewood/charcoal smoke. Workplace Malaria Gap: A CAMA survey across 10 West African countries (including Togo) found 62% of workers get no malaria prevention support at work, urging employers to integrate prevention into workplace health plans. Cancer Access Partnership: BeOne Medicines and partners renewed support until 2028 to expand access to Brukinsa (zanubrutinib) for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in low- and middle-income countries. Local Health System Pressure: Reports on Togo’s banking strain highlight how financial cleanups can ripple into broader services—relevant for health sector planning and stability.

Health Service Feedback: WAHO has launched Health Service User Support Centres in Benin, The Gambia and Togo, including a Lomé launch on 21 Aug, to give patients a dignified place to report problems, seek guidance, and access dialogue/mediation so recurring issues can improve care. Clean Cooking & Health: Togo signed a CFAF 4.7bn (US$8.5m) financing deal to scale improved cookstoves, aiming to expand clean cooking nationwide by 2032; about 107,000 households already received stoves under a pilot, with the goal of better household health and reduced deforestation. Malaria at Work: A CAMA survey across 10 West African countries (including Togo) found 62% of workers get no workplace malaria prevention support, urging employers to move from awareness to real protection for absenteeism and health costs. Togo Banking & Health Access: Togo’s banks posted a CFAF 20.5bn loss in 2025 after regulators pushed a loan cleanup, a reminder that financial stress can ripple into wider access to services. Stroke Care Costs: Reports say the wife of former Nigerian ambassador to Togo Debo Adesina appealed to President Tinubu for help covering rising medical bills as he recovers from a massive stroke in Canada.

Health Service Feedback: WAHO has launched Health Service User Support Centres in Benin, The Gambia and Togo, with the Lomé launch on 21 August, giving patients a dignified place to report problems, seek guidance, and access dialogue and mediation so recurring issues can feed into better care. Clean Cooking & Health: Togo signed a CFAF 4.7 billion (about $8.5m) financing deal to scale improved cookstoves nationwide, aiming to cut firewood use and protect forests while improving household health; about 107,000 households already received stoves under the pilot. Workplace Malaria Gap: A CAMA survey across 10 West African countries (including Togo) found 62% of workers get no malaria prevention support from employers, urging companies to move from awareness to real workplace protection. Togo Health System Capacity (Skills): Togo plans to deploy 101 FabLab managers to run school digital fabrication labs, helping students turn science lessons into practical projects—an indirect boost to future health-tech and innovation talent. Health Access & Costs (Finance): A report says Togolese banks lost CFAF 20.5bn in 2025 after regulators forced problem-loan cleanups, a reminder that financial stress can ripple into services, including health financing.

Patient Voice in Care: WAHO has launched Health Service User Support Centres in Benin, The Gambia and Togo, with the Lomé launch on 21 August 2026, giving patients a dignified place to report problems, seek guidance, and access dialogue and mediation to improve care quality and safety. Clean Cooking for Health: Togo signed a CFAF 4.7 billion (about $8.5m) financing deal to scale improved cookstoves nationwide, aiming to cut household smoke from firewood and charcoal while protecting forests and improving health; about 107,000 households already received stoves under the pilot. Workplace Malaria Gaps: A CAMA survey across 10 West African countries (including Togo) found 62% of workers get no malaria prevention support from employers, urging companies to move from awareness to real workplace protection. Togo Cotton Push: Togo’s 2026–2027 cotton season is ahead of plan, with planted acreage at 115,980 hectares (110.5% of target), as the sector targets higher output through fertilizer support and improved yields. Health System Financing: A report says Togolese banks lost CFAF 20.5 billion in 2025 after regulator-ordered cleanup of problem loans, even as banking income and operating profit rose—risk costs drove the deficit.

Clean Cooking for Health: Togo signed a CFAF 4.7 billion (about $8.5m) financing deal in Lomé to scale up improved cookstoves, aiming to cut firewood use and protect forests while improving household health; a pilot has already reached about 107,000 households and the rollout is planned to grow nationwide by 2032. Malaria at Work: A West Africa survey for World Mosquito Day found 62% of workers get no malaria prevention support from employers, with only 38% reporting any workplace action—highlighting a gap that could worsen absenteeism and health costs in countries including Togo. Cotton Boost: Togo’s 2026–2027 cotton season is ahead of plan, with planted acreage at 115,980 hectares (110.5% of target), as the sector targets 105,000 tons of seed cotton and continues fertilizer support. Banking Stress (Health Link via Stability): Togolese banks posted a CFAF 20.5 billion loss in 2025 after regulators wiped out problem loans, a reminder that financial shocks can ripple into public services, including health. Workplace Health & Safety for Journalists: A SYNJIT survey on private media work in Togo reports low pay, insecure jobs, and limited health coverage—conditions that can affect wellbeing and access to care. Education for Future Health Tech: Togo plans to deploy 101 FabLab managers to schools after training, helping students turn science lessons into hands-on projects.

Clean Cooking & Health: Togo signed a CFAF 4.7 billion (about $8.5m) financing deal to scale improved cookstoves nationwide, aiming to cut firewood and charcoal use while improving household health; about 107,000 households already received stoves under the pilot, with expansion planned up to 2032. Workplace Malaria Prevention: A West Africa survey for World Mosquito Day found 62% of workers get no malaria prevention support from employers, with many rating company commitment “fair” or “poor,” urging workplaces to treat malaria prevention as part of health and risk planning. Togo Cotton Push: Togo’s 2026-2027 cotton season is ahead of plan, with planted acreage reaching 115,980 hectares (110.5% of target), as the sector targets higher seed cotton output supported by fertilizer subsidies. CNDS Social Dialogue: Togo’s National Social Dialogue Council (CNDS) reconvened to strengthen how it prevents and resolves labor disputes, noting pressures from climate change, tech shifts, and changing demographics—issues that also affect health and community stability. Banking Health (Indirect): A report says Togolese banks posted a CFAF 20.5 billion loss in 2025 after regulators forced a cleanup of problem loans, a reminder that financial stress can ripple into services, including health systems.

Clean Cooking in Togo: Togo signed a financing deal worth over CFAF 4.7 billion (about $8.5m) to scale up improved cookstoves, aiming to cut firewood and charcoal use while improving household health and protecting forests. The pilot has already reached about 107,000 households, with plans to expand gradually nationwide by 2032. Workplace Malaria Gap: A West Africa survey by the Corporate Alliance on Malaria in Africa (CAMA) finds 62% of workers get no malaria prevention support from employers, with many rating company action as “fair” or “poor.” The report urges employers to build malaria prevention into workplace health plans, not treat it as optional support. Togo–Ghana Border Health Risk: Stakeholders say unapproved crossing routes along the Ghana–Togo border weaken disease surveillance and contact tracing, even as families rely on these links. The issue came up during Ebola preparedness coordination talks. FabLabs for Schools (Health Tech Link): Togo plans to deploy 101 FabLab managers to help students turn classroom science into practical projects—an education push that can strengthen future local health and innovation capacity. Cancer Access Partnership: BeOne Medicines and partners renewed support to expand access to Brukinsa (zanubrutinib) for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in low- and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia.

Clean Cooking in Togo: Togo’s Environment ministry signed a financing deal worth over CFAF 4.7 billion (about $8.5m) to scale up improved cookstoves, aiming to cut firewood use and protect forests while improving household health; about 107,000 households already received stoves in pilot regions, with expansion planned nationwide by 2032. Workplace Malaria Gap: A West Africa survey for World Mosquito Day found 62% of workers get no malaria prevention support from employers, with many rating company commitment “fair” or “poor,” urging businesses to build malaria prevention into workplace health plans. Togo Social Dialogue: The National Social Dialogue Council (CNDS) reconvened in Lomé to tackle new socioeconomic pressures and strengthen its role in preventing and resolving labor disputes, including tensions linked to health and trade. Cross-Border Disease Control: Ghana and Togo discussed how informal border crossings can weaken surveillance and contact tracing, even as they remain vital for families and communities. Health Tech for Schools: Togo plans to train and deploy 101 FabLab managers to help students turn classroom science into hands-on projects, boosting practical skills for future health and tech careers.