The World Health Organization (WHO), Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) have announced the expansion of the Health Security Partnership to Strengthen Disease Surveillance in Africa (HSPA) to seven countries on the continent. Africa experiences a disproportionate number of disease outbreaks, and this partnership aims to enhance disease surveillance and epidemic intelligence, enabling countries to better detect and respond to public health threats.
The partnership, launched in 2023 in six countries, will expand to Rwanda in its second phase, running from 2025 to 2028. At its core is a collaborative surveillance approach that connects health and security sectors to reduce biological risks and strengthen surveillance systems nationally and internationally. This initiative supports countries in strengthening capacities in biorisk management, event and indicator-based surveillance, genomic surveillance, and epidemic intelligence through training, guidance development, and technical assistance.
This expansion comes as Africa continues to face a disproportionate number of disease outbreaks globally. While progress has been made in surveillance over the past decade, the complex nature of modern health threats demands intensified collaboration
Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting WHO Regional Director for Africa, emphasized the importance of partnerships in building stronger health security in Africa. “By bringing together global, regional, and national actors, this initiative supports countries in strengthening collaborative surveillance through mutual exchange and practical action.”
Dr. Raji Tajudeen, Acting Deputy Director General of Africa CDC, highlighted the continental body’s role: “Africa CDC will work with Member States to build political commitment for biosecurity, establish regional frameworks for monitoring high-risk biological agents, and improve coordination of event-based surveillance. Partnering and coordinating effectively is essential, particularly given limited resources, to boost Africa’s ability for early detection, response, and management of biological dangers.”
The HSPA initiative has received support from the Government of Canada and additional funding from the Government of the United Kingdom for its second phase. Building on the achievements of the first phase, the participating countries, with support from WHO and partners, aim to accelerate implementation and build a healthier, safer and more resilient Africa.
Source: WHO
