Epidemic Preparedness and Response in Africa | Guidelines for the Decentralization of Laboratory Capacity

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The decentralization of laboratory capacities is a critical strategy for improving epidemic preparedness and response in Africa. Centralized systems often delay case confirmation, hinder timely interventions, and exacerbate the impact of outbreaks, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas.

This Guidelines outlines a structured approach to decentralization, focusing on:

Strategic Goals: Strengthening laboratory capacity at subnational levels to ensure timely detection and control of epidemic-prone diseases.

Guiding Principles: Equity, country ownership, multisectoral collaboration and evidence-based decision-making.

Implementation Framework: Practical steps for planning, executing, and sustaining decentralized diagnostic networks, with intra- and post-implementation reviews for continuous improvement.

Integration: Alignment with existing surveillance, case management and infection prevention and control (IPC) systems, with a focus on the One Health approach.

While the Guidelines is informed by the Mpox outbreak response, it is adaptable to other priority diseases and aligned with the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005), the Africa CDC Strategic Plan (2022-2027), and the WHO Health Security Framework.