Africa CDC

Africa CDC
African Union - supranational union in Africa · Public domain · source
Name	Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
Native name	Africa CDC
Caption	Africa CDC logo
Formation	2017
Headquarters	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Parent organization	African Union

Africa CDC is a public health institution established to strengthen capacity for disease surveillance, emergency response, and public health research across the African continent. It was launched to coordinate technical support for member states, enhance laboratory networks, and lead continental responses to epidemics and pandemics. The institution works closely with regional health bodies, national public health institutes, and international partners to promote health security across Africa.

History

Africa CDC was inaugurated in 2017 under the auspices of the African Union following resolutions adopted by the Assembly of the African Union and recommendations from the International Health Regulations (2005). Its formation followed public health crises including the 2014 West African Ebola virus epidemic that affected Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, and exposed gaps in outbreak preparedness identified by the World Health Organization. Early directors built institutional frameworks while coordinating responses to the 2016 yellow fever outbreak in Angola and Democratic Republic of the Congo and later the COVID-19 pandemic that impacted countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt. Africa CDC expanded regional hubs located in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, and Egypt to decentralize operations and support regional economic communities like the Economic Community of West African States and the East African Community.

Mandate and Functions

The institution's core mandate includes disease surveillance aligned with the International Health Regulations (2005), emergency preparedness similar to frameworks used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, and public health workforce development modeled on training programs from institutions such as the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Functions encompass coordinating continental laboratory networks that connect national reference laboratories in countries including Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Africa; deploying rapid response teams during outbreaks as in the 2018-2020 Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and supporting immunization initiatives linked to campaigns run by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the World Health Organization.

Organizational Structure

The organization operates under the political oversight of the African Union with technical leadership provided by a Director and scientific advisory bodies that interface with national public health institutes such as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases. Decentralized regional collaborating centers serve the Economic Community of West African States, Southern African Development Community, and Arab Maghreb Union regions. Governance mechanisms include an advisory board composed of experts from institutions like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Pasteur Institute, as well as liaison arrangements with the United Nations agencies and regional economic communities such as the Economic Community of Central African States.

Programs and Initiatives

Major programs include the establishment of the Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative that partners with genomic sequencing centers in South Africa and Kenya; the Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network aligned with efforts from the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership; and the Africa Joint Continental Strategy for outbreaks which coordinated responses during the COVID-19 pandemic alongside the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team. Capacity-building initiatives feature Field Epidemiology Training Programs modeled after the European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training and collaborations with the Africa Field Epidemiology Network. Laboratory strengthening efforts mirror frameworks used by the African Society for Laboratory Medicine and include training in biosafety and biosecurity implemented with partners such as the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The institution collaborates with international partners including the World Health Organization, United Nations Children's Fund, World Bank, and bilateral public health agencies such as the United States Agency for International Development and the Public Health Agency of Canada. It engages philanthropic partners such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and academic collaborators including Imperial College London, University of Cape Town, and Makerere University. Regional coordination occurs with bodies like the West African Health Organization and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, while procurement and logistics partnerships involve entities such as the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team and regional economic communities including the Economic Community of West African States.

Funding and Governance

Funding streams combine contributions from the African Union member states, grants from multilateral institutions like the World Bank, and support from philanthropic organizations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Financial oversight is provided through governance mechanisms established by the African Union Commission and audited in line with standards used by international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund. Strategic policy decisions are made by the Assembly of the African Union and operational accountability is maintained through technical advisory panels drawing experts from institutions such as the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, and the Pasteur Institute.

Category:Public health organizations Category:Organizations established in 2017