By Ahsan Ahsan
In a message to practitioners, members, friends and associates on the 2nd June 2020 signed by COPASAH Global Co-conveners Dr. Abhijit Das from New Delhi, India and Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba from Abuja, Nigeria, the duo communicated the announcement.
“We take great pleasure in sharing with you that in line with the decision taken by the Community of P
COPASAH 2019 Global Symposium Inaugural Session
ractitioners 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 ten 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.” said the conveners.
The message emphasized that the transition process of COPASAH Global Secretariat has now been completed. Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba has taken charge as the new coordinator and Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) is the host of the new Global Secretariat effective from 1st June 2020. The process of transition was gradual with hand-holding done by the outgoing secretariat 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.
The conveners also used the opportunity to thank E Premdas Pinto and his team at CHJS as the outgoing secretariat for steering the COPASAH processes for the last five or more years and 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.” said the conveners.
Brief about COPASAH
The Community of Practitioners on Accountability and Social Action in Health (COPASAH) is a global network of practitioners. Its members share a vision about social accountability, health, health care and human dignity. It was established in 2011 with the name Community of Practice on Community Monitoring in Health (COPCOM). The idea was to have a space and create opportunities for practitioners of community monitoring to come together to share, reflect on their experiences and to think about the field and its future. Since 2011, the network has grown in its mission, membership, structure, and activities. Visit for more information https://www.copasah.net/ and follow us on twitter @COPASAH
