• Africa CDC and ECDC will collaborate on disease surveillance, antimicrobial resistance, and vaccine-preventable diseases.
• The agreement builds on a successful five-year partnership funded by the European Commission.
• Africa faces a shortfall of 6.1 million health workers by 2030, highlighting the urgency of strengthening health systems.

The African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on March 9 to strengthen health security across Africa and Europe.

The MoU establishes a framework for joint disease surveillance, risk assessment, and emergency preparedness and response. It covers antimicrobial resistance, vaccine-preventable diseases, and emerging and re-emerging health threats.

The agreement also promotes cooperation in data analysis, modeling, and forecasting, alongside capacity building and public health training. According to the press release, it "builds on the success of a five-year partnership between Africa CDC and ECDC, funded by the European Commission last April."

" Infectious diseases know no borders, and our response must be equally interconnected," said Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC. "Through this partnership with ECDC, we strengthen core capacities for health security […] This is how we build lasting resilience and better protect populations across Africa."

In recent months, Africa CDC has accelerated initiatives to bolster the continent’s health sovereignty. In February, the agency, together with the African Union and the United Nations Population Fund, launched a partnership to accelerate health innovation continent-wide.

These efforts occur amid significant challenges. Africa requires an additional 6.1 million health professionals by 2030 to meet minimal population needs, a shortfall that threatens universal health coverage.

This article was initially published in French by Lydie Mobio

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum