New guidance to expand rapid antigen testing for COVID-19 response in Africa released
Strategy encourages countries to adopt rapid antigen tests to scale-up COVID-19 testing. The Partnership to Accelerate COVID-19 Testing (PACT) has been working to source 11 million rapid antigen tests for Africa. The new Guidance on Use of Rapid Antigen Tests for COVID-19, the Quality Assurance Framework and training materials will help African countries to quickly […]
European Union and African Union sign partnership to scale up preparedness for health emergencies
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 7 DECEMBER 2020. Today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) launched a new partnership initiative to strengthen the capacity of Africa CDC to prepare for and respond to public health threats in Africa. The four-year project, ‘EU for health […]
Landmark alliance launches in Africa to fight COVID-19 misinformation
Brazzaville, 3 December 2020 – The World Health Organization (WHO) today launched a new alliance, the Africa Infodemic Response Alliance (AIRA), to coordinate actions and pool resources in combating misinformation around COVID-19 pandemic and other health emergencies in Africa. Digital platforms have been inundated with COVID-19-related information since the pandemic began in late 2019. Information […]
#AfricaMaskWeek launches to build continent-wide movement for mask-wearing
At a time when COVID-19 cases are increasing in a second wave in many parts of the world and people are fatigued with the public health and social measures, #AfricaMaskWeek is being launched to sustain and increase mask-wearing as a protective measure among populations in Africa. ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, 23 NOVEMBER 2020. #AfricaMaskWeek launches today […]
African Development Bank supports continental strategy on COVID-19 with US$27.33 million
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, 19 NOVEMBER 2020. In response to a request by the Bureau of the African Union Heads of State and Government under the leadership of H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, Chairperson of the African Union and President of South Africa, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a grant of US$27.33 million to the Africa […]
Democratic Republic of Congo celebrates end of 11th Ebola Virus Disease outbreak
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, 18 NOVEMBER 2020. The Minister of Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), H.E. Dr Eteni Longondo, today declared an end to the 11th Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the North-Western Province (Equateur) of the country, five months after the outbreak began. “The ability of the DRC Government and partners […]
International and African organizations partner to fight antimicrobial resistance in Africa
Accra, Addis Ababa, Bamako, Brazzaville, Cairo, Nairobi, 18 November 2020 – With antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatening development and health in Africa, six international and continental organizations are launching the first partnership of its kind to combat this public health crisis on the continent. The partners cemented their collaboration today with a joint statement by eight […]
US$100 million Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative to boost disease surveillance and emergency response capacity in Africa
Multisectoral partnership will deliver tools and expertise to identify and stop COVID-19 and other disease threats, and strengthen leadership for health security in AfricaADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, 12 October 2020 – Today, a group of public, private and non-profit organizations, led by the African Union Commission through the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa […]
Team Europe supports Africa’s COVID-19 response with 1.4 million test kits donated by Germany and delivered by the EU Humanitarian Air Bridge
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, 8 October 2020. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), through the African Union, today received the third and last batch of 1.4 million COVID-19 test kits donated by the Government of Germany. The kits were delivered through a European Union (EU) Humanitarian Air Bridge flight as part of […]
Trade and Development Bank donates half a million dollars to COVID-19 response in Africa
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 30 September 2020 – The Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB) has donated US$500,000 to support COVID-19 response across Africa by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The donation is being made to the African Union through the COVID-19 Response Fund as part of TBD’s COVID-19 […]