Enhancing Cholera Detection and Surveillance in Africa
Background Since the beginning of 2025, a total of 73,806 cholera cases and 490 deaths (CFR: 0.66%) have been reported across 22 African Union Member States. In comparison, 2024 saw 169,801 cases and 3,056 deaths, with a fatality rate of 1.8%. Over recent years, several African Union Member States have faced severe and protracted cholera […]
Pathogen Genomic Surveillance Policy Framework
During the COVID-19 pandemic, African Union (AU) Member States have made significant progress in acquiring and deploying genomic sequencing tools for detecting SARS-CoV-2 and tracking its variants. Through these tools, the continent is endowed with knowledge, capacity and related infrastructure with immense potential for routine application of pathogen genomics for evidence-based public health decision-making. It […]
Regional Biosafety and Biosecurity Legal Framework for the African Union Member States
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The World Health Organization (WHO) Joint External Evaluation conducted between 2016-2019, the Global Health Security Index (GHSI) and the regional consultations coordinated by Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), a specialized technical institution of the African Union (AU), highlighted biosafety and biosecurity capacity gaps among AU Member States. To address […]
Mpox Molecular Diagnostic Tests (RT-PCR)
On 13 August 2024, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared the ongoing mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS). The World Health Organization (WHO) followed this the next day, which extended the alert internationally as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). After these declarations, many countries […]
Africa CDC Epidemic Intelligence Weekly Report, February 2025
Welcome to our Epidemic Intelligence Weekly Report, your trusted source for real-time updates on priority events of concern on the continent. The narrative brought to you focuses on three main areas: the epidemiological situation, event assessment (risk assessment and geoscope) and public health interventions by the affected Member State, partners, and Africa CDC. Every week […]
Africa CDC Epidemic Intelligence Weekly Report, January 2025
Welcome to our Epidemic Intelligence Weekly Report, your trusted source for real-time updates on priority events of concern on the continent. The narrative brought to you focuses on three main areas: the epidemiological situation, event assessment (risk assessment and geoscope) and public health interventions by the affected Member State, partners, and Africa CDC. Every week […]
Mpox Testing Strategy, November 2024
1. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE Mpox is an emerging zoonotic disease caused by the mpox virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus closely related to the variola virus that causes smallpox. Mpox was first discovered in 1958 when outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys kept for research. The first human case was recorded in […]
Mpox Molecular Diagnostic Tests(RT-PCR)
On 13 August 2024, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared the ongoing mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS). The World Health Organization (WHO) followed this the next day, which extended the alert internationally as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). After these declarations, many countries […]
Statement on Antigen Rapid Tests for Mpox Diagnosis, 30 October 2024
No Antigen Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) has demonstrated the minimum requirement for mpox testing. On 13 August 2024, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared the ongoing mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS). This was followed the next day by the World Health Organization (WHO), which extended the […]
African Vaccine Manufacturing Mapping – Supply and Demand Landscape
This slide deck, presented at the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network International Annual General Meeting in October 2024, describes updated results from a study to assess the current and planned state of vaccine manufacturing in Africa and provides insights into what’s needed to develop a robust and sustainable vaccine manufacturing ecosystem. We surveyed African vaccine […]