Addis Ababa, March 21, 2025 — The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has launched the Africa Public Health Podcast, a powerful platform designed to elevate African voices in public health, tackle misinformation, and drive resilience to the continent’s evolving health challenges.
As the continent navigates a burdened landscape of health threats – from pandemics and climate-related risks to non-communicable diseases – Africa CDC remains steadfast in its mission to empower through science-driven, accessible, and timely information. In this evolving health ecosystem, the Africa Public Health Podcast aims to ignite critical conversations, spark innovation and reshape how public health stories are told across the continent.
“At Africa CDC, we believe in the power of storytelling to inspire action and trust,” said Margaret Muigai-Edwin, Director Communication and Public Information at Africa CDC. “The podcast gives Africa its own microphone where our experts, frontline workers and communities can shape the narrative of public health in Africa.”
The podcast will feature a series of expert interviews, frontline experiences, and community-led solutions, highlighting Africa’s unique strategies in advancing health security and innovation. Episodes will explore pivotal themes such as pathogen genomics, pandemic preparedness, digital health, community engagement, science and innovation as well as capacity building and training to strengthen Africa’s health systems.
The premiere episode, “The Power of Genomics in Disease Control,” features Dr Sofonias Tessema, Program Lead for Pathogen Genomics at Africa CDC, in conversation with host Andisiwe Michelle May. Together they unpack how genomic technology is transforming outbreak detection across Africa- from scaling sequencing capacity in over 40+ countries to applying AI in tracking diseases like malaria, Ebola and cholera. The episode offers a compelling look at how Africa-led innovation is shaping the future of disease surveillance globally.
“Our goal is to demystify complex public health issues and make them relatable to everyday Africans,” added Edwin. “This podcast is part of our broader commitment to building a well informed and health empowered continent.”
Episodes are available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Follow the conversation using #AfricaPublicHealthPodcast on social media.
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About Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC): The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is a public health agency of the African Union. It is autonomous and supports member states in strengthening health systems. It also helps improve disease surveillance, emergency response, and disease control. Learn more at: http://www.africacdc.org and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube
Media Contacts: Margaret Edwin | Director of Communication and Public Information | Africa CDC EdwinM@africacdc.org
