Nigerian-based Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) – the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) – has been named as the global headquarters of the Community of Practitioners on Accountability and Social Action in Health (COPASAH).
COPASAH is a global network of practitioners. Its members share a vision about social accountability, health, health care and human dignity.
The office is now located in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba has now taken charge as the new Coordinator; as AHBN hosts the new Global Secretariat, effective from June 1, 2020.
These developments were announced in a statement signed by the COPASAH Global Co-conveners, Dr. Abhijit Das from New Delhi, India and Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba from Abuja, Nigeria.
The duo said: “We take great pleasure in sharing with you that in line with the decision taken by the Community of Practitioners on Accountability and Social Action in Health (COPASAH) Steering Committee after the Global Symposium in October 2019, the Global Secretariat of COPASAH is shifting from Centre for Health and Social Justice (CHSJ), New Delhi, India to the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) in Abuja, Nigeria.
“This is a testament to the relevance and growth of COPASAH which was established at a meeting on Health Governance and Accountability at the Community Level, in Johannesburg, South Africa nearly 10 years ago.
“The first Global Secretariat of COPASAH was hosted by CEGSS at Guatemala in Latin America (2011-2014) after which it moved to CHSJ, New Delhi, India in Asia (2014-2020).
“The Global Secretariat has now moved to Africa where the COPASAH journey had started.”
According to the statement, the team at CHSJ has worked closely with AHBN in this transition process with a specific focus on the roles and responsibilities of the secretariat that included the accountability for grants, leading COPASAH communications, organizational responsibility to facilitate the Steering Committee etc.
“During this period, to make this transition seamless, we also have organized joint webinars and virtual meetings and several formal and informal consultations between the two secretariat teams,” they said.
The conveners also applauded E Premdas Pinto and his team at CHJS for steering the COPASAH processes for the past five or more years, especially for managing the very successful Global Symposium.
“We are now assured that COPASAH secretariat is in a very safe and capable hands of Dr. Aminu and his team at AHBN…. with the leadership and the secretariat being located in the African Continent, we are sure that COPASAH will achieve new milestones in its journey,” the conveners stressed.
