Guinea-Bissau Moves to Pilot ECOWAS Community Health Policy in Gabú, Oio

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Guinea-Bissau has moved from policy discussions to implementation of the new ECOWAS Regional Community Health Policy, with the Gabú and Oio regions selected as pilot areas in a major push to take essential healthcare services closer to underserved and hard-to-reach communities.

The decision was reached at a three-day National Engagement Workshop on the implementation of the regional policy held in Bissau from August 19 to 21, 2026, by the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) in collaboration with Guinea-Bissau’s Ministry of Public Health.

The development marked a significant step in ECOWAS’ attempt to translate its regional community health policy into practical programmes at the grassroots, with community health workers, national institutions, local authorities and communities expected to assume clearly defined roles.

Reports from the workshop indicated that participants agreed on the need for stronger national ownership, multisectoral coordination and community participation as the foundation for successful implementation.

The workshop brought together about 60 representatives from public and private institutions, civil society, community organisations and other stakeholders to examine how the new regional framework could be adapted to Guinea-Bissau’s health system. The country’s national news agency, ANG, reported that participants also called for sustained advocacy with relevant authorities to ensure implementation of the policy.

The Director-General of WAHO, Dr Melchior Athanase Joël C. Aïssi, described Guinea-Bissau’s engagement as an important opportunity to move the regional policy from planning to action.

WAHO’s position is that the success of the initiative will depend not only on technical support from the regional body but also on strong national leadership and ownership by Guinea-Bissau.

The country had already been identified as a pilot setting for the new regional policy, with WAHO engaging the transitional government ahead of the national workshop. During the high-level mission, WAHO officials held discussions with the Minister of Public Health, Commodore Dr Quinhin Nantote, as well as other members of government on the institutional conditions required to deploy the policy.

The Minister of Public Health has emphasised the need to reach vulnerable populations, particularly people living in remote communities, while recognising Community Health Workers (CHWs) as a critical bridge between formal health facilities and the populations they serve.

The workshop also focused on priority interventions, division of responsibilities among stakeholders, development of costed action plans and establishment of mechanisms for coordination, monitoring and information management.

A proposed regional community health information system platform was among the issues examined, alongside arrangements for a national coordination mechanism that would support implementation.

The selection of Gabú and Oio as pilot regions gives Guinea-Bissau an opportunity to test the policy at community level, identify implementation gaps and generate lessons that could guide broader rollout.

The move comes at a particularly important moment for Guinea-Bissau’s health system. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified significant challenges in the country, including high maternal and infant mortality, substantial out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure and the need to strengthen health-system capacity.

In June, a joint Ministry of Public Health-WHO mission to six health regions — including Gabú and Oio — highlighted the need for stronger coordination, improved use of available resources and better access to healthcare at regional level.

The urgency of strengthening frontline health systems has also been underscored by Guinea-Bissau’s current public-health challenges. The country declared an mpox epidemic on July 4, 2026, and by August 24 had recorded seven confirmed and 46 suspected cases, according to reporting citing health authorities and public-health experts. Community health workers have been involved in door-to-door awareness campaigns, demonstrating the importance of a functioning community-level health network during outbreaks.

The ECOWAS initiative therefore goes beyond expanding access to routine healthcare. It is also expected to strengthen the capacity of communities and frontline workers to participate in disease prevention, early detection, health promotion and emergency response.

The broader regional framework is consistent with Guinea-Bissau’s existing health-sector priorities. Its National Health Development Plan 2023–2028 places emphasis on strengthening governance, expanding access to quality essential services and improving health infrastructure and service delivery.

The country and WHO also agreed earlier this year on a 2026–2027 health work programme focusing, among other priorities, on governance and coordination, equitable access to essential health services, emergency preparedness and surveillance, maternal and child health, and stronger health information systems.

With Gabú and Oio now serving as the initial implementation grounds, the immediate challenge for Guinea-Bissau will be to convert the commitments made in Bissau into measurable improvements in communities — particularly for populations that remain farthest from conventional health facilities.

For ECOWAS, the pilot will provide an important test of whether a regional community-health framework can be translated into sustainable national action, while giving other member states practical lessons for strengthening healthcare from the community upward.