Date of issue: 7 November 2025
Background
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is a specialized technical institution of the African Union (AU), established in 2017 to strengthen the continent’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to disease threats. Headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Africa CDC serves as the continent’s public health authority, working with all 55 AU Member States to enhance health security and build resilient health systems. Its mandate covers disease surveillance, emergency preparedness and response, laboratory systems, and workforce development. Africa CDC also plays a central role in coordinating Africa’s collective response to epidemics and pandemics, promoting equitable access to vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics, and advancing the AU’s vision of health sovereignty and self-reliance. Through initiatives such as the Platform for Harmonized African Health Manufacturing (PHAHM) Africa CDC is shaping a future where the continent is better prepared to manage both current and emerging public health challenges.
At the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union, held on 18 February 2024, the Heads of State and Government officially decided to establish.
The African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM) and directed Africa CDC to implement the modalities for full operationalization of the mechanism immediately, aiming to improve affordability, availability, and equitable access to essential medical supplies across all AU Member States. Africa CDC with the support of development partners, has been working on the design of the Pooled Procurement Mechanism which is deigned to take a phased approach with few products identified as a startup phase of the APPM.