Banjul, 07th April 2025: Amidst decrease in Official Development Assistance, the Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC) says it is mobilising efforts to increase domestic resources and innovative financing mechanisms, including strengthening the server system across the continent, harmonising Africa’s health manufacturing efforts, advancing local manufacturing, proactive and innovative outbreak responses, and the procurement system, among others, with the ultimate aim of ensuring Africa’s health sovereignty.
These initiatives were revealed by Dr. Jean Kasia, the Director General of Africa CDC, while giving updates, as part of their annual press briefings, following the launch of the 148th annual report 2024. The report highlighted successes and challenges, focusing on the need for innovative financing mechanisms, self-reliance, and partnerships with international organisations to improve Africa’s healthcare systems and pandemic preparedness.
On the successes, Dr Kasia revealed that they managed to raise 3.2 Billion Dollars for Asthma through an initiative by GAVI and Afrexim Bank, which provided funding to support African manufacturers. He said they have continued to mobilise additional funding for sustainable health financing, in the face of increasing outbreaks and limited resources.
He went on: “We have launched a concept paper on health financing in Africa, which is a solid document that provides three key pillars on domestic health financing through a vehement national health development plan and national earth financing plan; innovative health financing, health insurance, and investment in Africa.”
The Director General also highlighted the good work of the newly established Incident Management Support Team (IMST), through which various disease outbreaks were addressed, including Mpox, Ebola, and measles.
He acknowledged that their challenge of disease control increased by 41% just in 2 years; from 2022 to 2024. However, he said the way forward to tackling outbreaks is to come up with innovative public health measures and strengthen the IMST to ensure the continent’s health security.
Dr Kasia warned that Mpox cases are still on the rise, and that it is a major public health emergency against continental security. He made reference to community transmissions in some countries like DRC, Burundi, and Uganda, and informed that Ghana and Tanzania have reported new cases.
He said with the help of IMST, and others they were able to put in place measures that offered remedy to the menace.
The Africa CDC boss seized the opportunity to call on private sector and others to support.
By Kumba Leigh
