According to the International Labor Organization (ILO) [1], in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) countries, a unit increase in public health expenditure increases long-term Gross National Income growth by about one percentage point. However, according to the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) represent, depending on the UEMOA member states, between 80% and 95% of the companies surveyed [2]. Based on this observation, investing in health, particularly the fight against diseases, could be crucial to support economic development in UEMOA member states. This article highlights the role of accreditation in the fight against two major infectious diseases in the world, particularly in Africa, namely tuberculosis and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by a mycobacterium, the Koch bacillus, which most commonly affects the lungs but can also affect other organs. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) [3], 1.25 million people died from tuberculosis in 2023. An estimated 10.8 million people contracted tuberculosis worldwide in 2023. TB is present in all countries and age groups. However, it is a preventable and treatable disease. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis continues to cause a public health crisis and remains a threat to health security. Ending the tuberculosis epidemic by 2030 is one of the health-related targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

AIDS is an infectious disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV weakens the immune system, making the individual vulnerable to other infections. HIV is a sexually transmitted infection. Research has identified drugs to combat the virus, discovered in 1983. It is important to note the importance of prevention and early diagnosis. According to the WHO [4], HIV remains a major public health problem worldwide, resulting in 40.4 million deaths to date, and continues to be transmitted in every country worldwide. An estimated 39.0 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2022, more than two-thirds of them in Africa. In 2022, 630,000 people died from HIV-related causes and 1.3 million acquired HIV. There is no cure for HIV infection. However, HIV has become a chronic condition that can be managed, with the potential for long and healthy lives. Ending HIV by 2030 is among the health-related targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The West African Accreditation System (SOAC WAAS) is the accreditation body for UEMOA member states [5]. As part of its policy to support the health policies of its member states, SOAC WAAS has developed a specific accreditation scheme for the medical sector. With a rate of 21%, this sector is second to have the largest number of conformity assessment bodies accredited by SOAC WAAS. These are laboratories accredited according to the ISO 15189 standard. It should be noted that SOAC WAAS ISO 15189 accreditation scheme is covered by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) mutual recognition agreements since 2022. Laboratories accredited for HIV and tuberculosis testing represent 74% of the total, with 26% for tuberculosis and 46% for HIV respectively. These results were made possible thanks to the strong involvement of international cooperation. Thus, accreditations in the field of HIV were obtained with the support of United States of America (USA) cooperation, while those in the field of tuberculosis mobilized various partners such as the Global Fund, under the coordination of the Supranational Laboratory for Tuberculosis in Benin (SRL-Cotonou). The intervention of SRL-Cotonou and its network of partners has enabled tuberculosis testing laboratories located outside UEMOA to benefit from SOAC accreditation, particularly in Cameroon and Gabon.

Thus, the UEMOA countries’ accreditation system, supported by SOAC WAAS, participates to meet the expectations of member states in terms of public health. However, the risks of reduced international cooperation in health, partly driven by the vision of the new USA authorities, should encourage all stakeholders to find other ways to maintain the results achieved in the fight against infectious diseases in Africa such as tuberculosis and AIDS. In doing so, economic development in UEMOA member states, primarily driven by SMEs, would not be compromised.

[1]https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/wcmsp5/groups/public/%40ed_dialogue/%40sector/documents/publication/wcms_892131.pdf

[2]https://www.bceao.int/fr/content/presentation-du-dispositif-de-soutien-au-financement-des-pmepmi

[3]https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tuberculosis

[4]https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hiv-aids

[5]The member states of UEMOA are Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.