Report: Expert and stakeholder virtual consultation meeting to develop the Africa CDC Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health Strategy

Executive summary

On 27th and 28th April 2021, the division of Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with Public Health England, organized a virtual consultative meeting
as part of the consultations with Member States and partners for the development of the Africa CDC five years strategic plan for the prevention and control of
Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental illhealth on the continent. Around 120 representatives from 40 Member States; experts from academia, international organizations, civil society, etc. participated in the tw days meeting.

The meeting was organized by Africa CDC to bring all stakeholders together to reflect and provide recommendations on the key functional areas of the strategy development framework. The functional areas in which partnership, collaboration and health systems strengthening are needed for NCDs and mental health
are:
– Governance
– Health promotion and protection
– Surveillance
– Healthcare, laboratories and diagnostics
– Workforce
– Research
The table below summarizes the discussion and contributions of Member States and partners during the meeting. The following NCDs and MH health systems strengthening priorities areas of action were recommended to Africa CDC: