Africa Sets Course to Strengthen and Harmonise Health Data Governance
The Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC) is set to kick off action towards strengthening and harmonising the framework of policies, procedures, and practices that ensure healthcare data is managed, protected, and used responsibly throughout its lifecycle — health data governance — across the continent. The landmark commitment on health data governance was made at the […]
Malaria Surge in Southern Africa
Malaria is on the rise in southern Africa, with several countries – including Botswana, eSwatini, Namibia and Zimbabwe – reporting new outbreaks, underscoring the ongoing challenges in eradicating the disease in Africa. Data from the Surveillance and Disease Intelligence Division of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reveals a dramatic spike […]
New Study Reveals Widespread Drug Resistance Across 14 African Countries
Results from a newly published study highlight the growing spread of drug resistance across 14 African countries, underscoring the urgent need to strengthen laboratory testing, data systems, and health planning to tackle hard-to-treat infections. The study, known as the Mapping Antimicrobial Resistance and Antimicrobial Use Partnership (MAAP), is the largest of its kind ever conducted in […]
Africa CDC Set to Launch Groundbreaking Knowledge Management Portal
A year on, the ongoing mpox outbreak now affects 26 countries across Africa, up from seven initially. Containing the outbreak remains a challenge, complicated by the disease’s four clades and several sub-strains, the latest of which was only identified earlier this year. For example, Clade I is typically associated with higher mortality rates and more […]
Somalia and Djibouti Take a Big Step Towards Safer Medicines
Somalia and Djibouti are showing that, even in complex and challenging environments, it is possible to build systems that protect public health and foster trust. The two countries have made major strides by introducing national pharmacovigilance systems — tools that help monitor and ensure the safety of medicines. Pharmacovigilance is the process and science of […]
Eastern Africa Regional Coordinating Centre Sets the Tone for Strengthened Regional Health Security
Efforts to strategically leverage health diplomacy to foster cooperation, strengthen partnerships, and promote stability across nations gained momentum when Africa CDC’s Eastern Africa Regional Coordinating Centre (Eastern Africa RCC) formally presented its credentials to the Government of Kenya, establishing its official presence and authority in the country. Dr. Mazyanga Lucy Mazaba, Regional Director of the Eastern Africa RCC, […]
Southern Africa Enhances Early Warning Systems as Event-Based Surveillance Guidelines are Launched in Three Countries
Three Southern African countries now have Event-Based Surveillance (EBS) Guidelines—a critical tool for detecting and responding to emerging health risks. Event-based surveillance systems collect and analyse information from diverse sources, including communities, the media, and healthcare workers, to detect unusual health events in real time. They complement traditional indicator-based surveillance and are designed to support […]
The Journal of Public Health in Africa Sees Significant Boost in Metrics
The number of articles published in the Journal of Public Health in Africa (JPHIA) has seen a significant increase, rising from an annual average of 70 articles between 2018 and 2024 to 104 articles in just the first half of 2025. The peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to advancing public health discourse across the African continent […]
New Roadmap to Strengthen Health Security in Central Africa
Africa CDC and strategic health partners operating in Central Africa have drawn up an outline of a joint 2026–2027 roadmap to strengthen health security in the Central African region. Central Africa, like the rest of the continent, is deeply affected by recurrent or prolonged health crises, with the emergence and re-emergence of infectious threats. These threats […]
Mauritania is Now Better Prepared to Handle Public Health Emergencies
Mauritania Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) is now better positioned to activate and manage Incident Management System (IMS) for real-world outbreaks,but more skills training in required to further empower the team to respond to threats, a recent training workshop revealed. “The PHEOC and IMS workshop in Mauritania was a success,” said Dr Ahmed Tijani […]