MINISTRY OF HEALTH BUILDING; MINISTERS AND DELEGATES AROUND TABLE; IVORY COAST MINISTER OPENS MEETING.




Initials RGH/V/CCT/ES



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Background: IN ABIDJAN, THE IVORY COAST CAPITAL, HEALTH MINISTERS FROM EIGHTY WEST AFRICAN COUNTRIES MET ON WEDNESDAY (NOVEMBER 2) AS THE BOARD OF THE ORGANISATION FOR THE COORDINATION OF THE STRUGGLE AGAINST MAJOR ENDEMIC DISEASES (THE O.C.C.G.).

THE MINISTERS MET WITH A FRENCH DELEGATION LED BY THE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR COOPERATION AT THE FRENCH MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS.

AT PRESENT, THE O.C.C.G. COMPRISES ONLY FRENCH-SPEAKING AFRICAN STATES: DAHOMEY, UPPER VOLTA, NIGER, MAURITANIA, TOGO, MALI, SENEGAL AND IVORY COAST. FIVE OTHERS ARE ASSOCIATE MEMBERS.

THE HEALTH MINISTER OF THE IVORY COAST, DR. BLAISE NDIA KOFFI, WHO OPENED THE MEETING, SAID HE'D MADE A TOUR OF ENGLISH-SPEAKING WEST AFRICAN STATES AND HOPED THEY WOULD JOIN THE O.C.C.G.

SOME ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES HAD PROMISED TO SEND DELEGATES TO THE ORGANISATION'S GENERAL MEETING WHICH BEGAN IN ABIDJAN YESTERDAY (FRIDAY).