Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 28 July 2026 – A new partnership agreement between the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and Population Services International (PSI) will strengthen efforts to expand access to immunisation and integrated primary healthcare services across Africa.
The partnership brings together Africa CDC’s continental leadership in health security with PSI’s experience as a global health organisation working with governments, communities and partners to design and scale people-centred solutions that improve access to quality and affordable healthcare.
Through the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Africa CDC Director General Dr Jean Kaseya and PSI President Michael Holscher, the two organisations will collaborate on innovative approaches to preventive healthcare, including pharmacy-based immunisation community delivery models, stronger public-private partnerships, health workforce integration, evidence generation and knowledge exchange.
The agreement comes as African countries continue efforts to close gaps in access to essential health services and build more resilient health systems capable of reaching communities with life-saving interventions. More than seven million children on the continent remain unvaccinated with routine vaccines while an additional 3.3 million started but did not complete the vaccination series, highlighting the need for innovative approaches that bring immunisation services closer to communities across the life course
“Africa’s health security depends on our ability to ensure that every person can access life-saving preventive services,” said Dr Kaseya. “This partnership with PSI will help bring immunisation and primary healthcare closer to communities while strengthening national systems and building a healthier, more resilient Africa.”
The collaboration supports Africa CDC’s mandate to strengthen disease prevention and control, enhance health security and advance stronger public health systems across the continent. The Africa CDC Strategic Plan (2023–2027) prioritises expanded access to vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics, strengthened public health institutions, a skilled health workforce and action-oriented partnerships to address Africa’s evolving health challenges.
Under the agreement, Africa CDC and PSI will collaborate on regional and sub-regional knowledge exchange, policy engagement with ministries of health and immunisation stakeholders, dissemination of implementation evidence, long-term scale-up planning, and the development of platforms to document and share good practices across African Union Member States.
A key area of collaboration will be advancing Pharmacy-Based Immunisation Delivery (PBID) models in line with national policies which aim to expand access to vaccination and preventive health services through diverse community-based platforms. The partnership will support Member States in integrating trained pharmacists and healthcare workers into national systems while generating evidence to inform policy and programme decisions.
PSI will serve as the technical lead and implementing partner for the PBID initiative, supporting technical design, research, digital innovation, workforce development, stakeholder engagement, monitoring and evaluation and country-level implementation aligned with national priorities. Africa CDC will provide strategic advisory support, regional coordination, policy dialogue and convening support to facilitate knowledge exchange and sustainable scale-up across Member States.
“No one should miss out on life-saving immunisation and preventive care because it is too far away or too difficult to access,” said Mr Holscher. “Together with Africa CDC, we will work alongside African governments to bring these essential services closer to where people live and work through innovative, locally-led solutions that strengthen primary healthcare systems and improve health outcomes for the long-term.”
The two organisations will also establish mechanisms for continued coordination, including technical working groups to review progress, address policy and operational priorities, and identify opportunities for further cooperation.
By combining Africa CDC’s continental mandate with PSI’s implementation expertise, the partnership will support African countries in strengthening innovative immunisation delivery, expanding access to primary healthcare services, and accelerating progress towards Universal Health Coverage.
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About Africa CDC
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is the public health agency of the African Union. As an autonomous institution, Africa CDC supports AU Member States in strengthening health systems, improving disease surveillance, and enhancing emergency preparedness and response. For more information, visit: http://www.africacdc.org and follow Africa CDC on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and YouTube.
About PSI
PSI is a network of locally led, globally-connected organisations that are passionate about making it easier for people to lead healthier lives. PSI addresses diverse factors that affect people’s health and lives – from the effects of climate change to urbanisation, and limited livelihood opportunities – and leverages social marketing roots to scale social business models and reach people in new, impactful ways.
Media contacts:
Communications and Public Information Directorate, Africa CDC: communications@africacdc.org
Taylor Prochnow, Head of Global Communications, PSI: TProchnow@psi.org
