Ethiopian Informer
ADDIS ABABA: August 27 (EI) – The World Health Organization (WHO) and the African Union (AU) through its Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Tuesday reiterated cooperation to tackle health security perils facing the African continent.
“The WHO and the AU Commission through its Africa CDC deepened their ties today (Tuesday) by endorsing an ambitious action plan that aims to tackle health security challenges facing the continent,” the WHO said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
The two organizations signed an agreement outlining clear mechanisms for collaboration that will maximize existing synergies, it was noted.
The agreement operationalizes a relationship which began in August 2016 when Africa CDC was established, it was noted.
“It is three years to the day since WHO and Africa CDC joined forces,” a WHO statement quoted Amira Elfadil, AU Commissioner for Social Affairs, as saying.
“It is fitting, therefore, that today we are embarking on an even closer collaboration, one which will allow us to improve African health systems and save African lives,” said Her Excellency Amira Elfadil, “by combining our strengths we can achieve this.” The AU Social Affairs Commissioner added.
The joint action plan, among other things, identifies key areas for cooperation with particular emphasis on emergency preparedness and response, and health security in the overall context of health systems strengthening.
A joint task force with five technical working groups will guide the efforts in the areas of partnerships and resource mobilization, monitoring the progress in implementing International Health Regulations, public health emergency preparedness and response, strengthening surveillance and laboratory capacities and antimicrobial resistance, it was noted.
“With an acute public health emergency striking Africa every three to four days, a strong partnership between WHO and Africa CDC is critical,” said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
“WHO has decades of experience in providing technical support to countries, while Africa CDC has access to the highest levels of African leadership,” Moeti added.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa also stressed that by working together “we can achieve our ultimate goal of a healthier Africa that is better able to cope with outbreaks and other health emergencies.”
The two organizations also agreed to mobilize resources for key activities together and work to ensure that their efforts are complementary and synergistic, and in order to maximize their combined impact, the work plan will be jointly monitored every six months, it was noted.
WHO and Africa CDC are currently joining hands to support the efforts of the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to respond to the country’s worst Ebola outbreak.
WHO, which is also leading the coordination of the public health response and is providing technical leadership in the areas of surveillance, vaccination and case management, has also mobilised and deployed more than 700 international experts as part of the surge capacity needed to respond to the outbreak, it was noted.
Africa CDC has deployed more than 40 multi-disciplinary public health experts, trained more than 800 local healthcare workers and community volunteers, contributed to surveillance and provided personal protective equipment and GeneXpert machines to health facilities across the continent.
