Health agencies forge partnershipfor healthier Africa

Two African health agencies have signed an agreement to support strengthening health systems of African Union member states.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and Africa Public Health Foundation (APHF) announced this in a combined media statement on Thursday.

The continental autonomous public health agency supports member states in strengthening their health systems, while the APHF aims to forge partnerships and mobilise resources and investments for critical African public health initiatives.

APHF governing council chair and founder Dr Bernard Haufiku, says strategic partnerships has in the past benefited the continent through resource mobilisation to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, Ebola, Marburg, and cholera outbreaks and related interventions.

“I am excited about this special day as we have been looking forward to this momentous occasion on which we [could] sign the agreement between the APHF and Africa CDC.

“I am grateful to the Africa CDC for the support over the years since we started working in 2020, and the great work we have done together,” he says.

CDC director general Jean Kaseya says his organisation’s strategic plan for 2023 to 2027 is ambitious and aims to achieve significant outcomes for the continent.

“The APHF is pivotal in facilitating resource mobilisation for Africa CDC, enhancing public health systems across African Union member states, and supporting the implementation of the new public health order,” he says.

According to the statement, the APHF supports the Africa CDC in its mission to build a healthier and more prosperous Africa. “The agreement outlines the collaboration modalities between the two institutions, with the priority areas articulated in the Africa CDC strategy as a reference.

“These include strengthening public health institutions and the workforce, expanding local manufacturing of vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics, building partnerships with critical stakeholders within the broader health ecosystem,” the statement says.

The agreement consolidates the joint work that has yielded several achievements, the statement says. “We have moved from the emergency response to holistically address the challenges the continent still faces and from a longer term perspective.”