Yaounde Declaration: Outcome of ACHAP 2019 Conference
The close of the Africa Christian Health Association Platform (ACHAP) conference that held in Yaounde from 25th February to 28th February 2019, gave birth to the Yaounde Declaration. In a rare display of mental fit, eloquence and grandiose oratory, Ghanian born ACHAP President, Mr. Peter Yeboah rendered what he termed, the ‘Yaounde Declaration’:
“We, the members of the Africa Christian Health Association Platform (ACHAP) in conjunction with our development partners meeting in Yaounde from 25th February to 28th February 2019 met to deliberate, discuss and resolve on the theme, “Re-igniting Health Care: The Role of ACHAP.” Having had intensive discussions, we affirmed the principles, ideals and values as contained in the Alma-Ata Declaration of 1978 and reconfirmed in Astana in 2018. In the event thereof, we identified the following:
- That, we the Faith Based Organizations reaffirm primary health care as the pathway to promoting Jesus Christ’ healing ministry. In particular, we accept our role as the pacesetters, as actors, as advocates and strong supporters of primary health care and resolve thereof to ensure that everyone living under this earth will have access to quality, an affordable comprehensive primary health care service, which is acceptable and treated in dignity of our Lord Jesus Christ. In particular, we also recognize the role and responsibilities assigned to our partners.
- Regarding our partners, we affirm that, indeed, our partners have distinctive roles in promoting the ideals and values of Universal Health Coverage. We resolve thereof that our partners cooperate, collaborate with us in the spirit of partnership to ensure that we mobilize resources and ensure equitable resource allocation in the spirit of contain where they all also encourage ACHAP to come together in what can be termed as ACHAP-Partner Network, emphasizing unity.
- To all our actors in place, we also emphasize the need to ensure that primary health care becomes the center piece of country health systems. Therefore, we call on governments to ensure active practical partnership with FBOs to ensure that we are respected, recognized and accepted as integral stakeholders in the country primary health care systems.
- We resolve therefore to strengthen the partnership between FBOs and governments recognizing that governments have the primary responsibility and role for ensuring the provision of equitable health services for its citizens. We FBOs promise and pledge our support and collaboration to ensure that we supplement and complement government health services.
In all these, we recognize the fact that the universality in Primary Health Care as contained in universal health coverage means that it is a business for all. Therefore, we pledge and promise thereof to comply with all resolve the Yaounde Declaration to explore all avenues, processes and opportunities enabling to ensure that the roadmap of all the resources we make will be actualized in the Name of Lord Jesus Christ in the Year of our Lord 28th February 2019. So help us Lord, ACHAP”
At the end of the “Yaoundé Declaration”, ACHAP signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with two partner organizations namely, World Vision and American Leprosy Mission. The last ACHAP Conference held in Lesotho in 2017 and the next one will hold in a country still to be decided by the ACHAP Board.