The Regional Integrated Surveillance and Laboratory Network (RISLNET) was established by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to coordinate and integrate all public health laboratory, surveillance and emergency response assets, including public health data, to effectively support prevention, rapid detection and response to current and emerging public health threats within defined geographic regions of Africa. RISLNET facilitates close networking among National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs), academic institutions, private and public laboratories, centres of excellence, non-governmental and civil society organisations, and veterinary networks for the development and implementation of regionally appropriate plans for antimicrobial resistance, pandemic preparedness, rapid response, etc. It promotes partnerships and collaboration on public health research, training, knowledge exchange and experience sharing at the regional level in Africa.
RISLNET is integrated into the operations of the Africa CDC Regional Collaborating Centres (RCCs), hence, there will be five RISLNET networks hosted at the Central Africa, Eastern Africa, Northern Africa, Southern Africa and Western Africa RCCs. RISLNET Central Africa is hosted at the headquarters of the Central Africa RCC in Libreville, Gabon.
Objectives of RISLNET Central Africa
- Ensure that each Member State in the Africa CDC Central Africa RCC has the capacity to rapidly detect, investigate, effectively respond to, and control disease outbreaks.
- Strengthen operational and technological communications and trust among countries in the Central Africa Region as a central tenet of regional surveillance networks.
- Leverage the capacity and assets of partner networks across the region for greater public health impact.
- Act as a catalyst for the introduction and uptake of new technologies and developments in public health for improved healthcare systems in the region.
- Develop public health competencies for relevant frontline healthcare personnel, including training and skills building in such areas as applied epidemiology, bioinformatics, laboratory methods, surveillance, etc.
- Support the advancement and harmonization of surveillance and laboratory policies among Member States in the region.
RISLNET Central Africa Bureau Members
Mahayedine Abakar Adjid
Joel Djoba Siawaya
Okomo Assoumou Marie-Claire
