Addis Ababa — A brand new examine carried out by the Africa Centres for Illness Management and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the UK Public Well being Speedy Assist Staff (UK-PHRST) confirms the crucial function worldwide well being groups have performed in strengthening outbreak response throughout the African continent. The examine additionally highlights the necessity for extra strategic and domestically tailor-made help fashions to make sure long-term sustainability and effectiveness.
Introduced and validated throughout a high-level digital workshop held from 23 to 24 June 2025, the examine affords probably the most complete assessments up to now of worldwide technical deployments and their affect on nationwide outbreak preparedness and response programs in African Union (AU) Member States between 2020 and 2023.
The findings present that worldwide groups supplied essential short-term surge capability throughout a number of public well being domains, together with surveillance, laboratory programs, epidemiology, an infection prevention and management, scientific care, and threat communication. Notably, almost half of all deployments supported two or extra of those areas, underscoring their worth in addressing multifaceted outbreak challenges.
Past emergency response, the examine particulars how worldwide groups supported international locations by the supply of kit and infrastructure, the event of operational programs and protocols, the switch of expertise by coaching, the enhancement of coordination buildings, and fast deployment of human sources throughout crucial capability gaps.
“These deployments have delivered important experience, sources, and fast response capability at essential moments,” mentioned Dr Radjabu Bigirimana, Programme Lead for Africa CDC’s African Volunteers Well being Corps (AVoHC). “Nonetheless, in addition they increase vital questions on sustainability, coordination, and the way we strengthen long-term nationwide preparedness programs.”
Whereas nationwide stakeholders broadly appreciated the contributions of worldwide groups, the examine additionally captured reflections from worldwide companions on the significance of aligning deployments with native wants, current nationwide capacities, and longer-term well being safety targets. Effectiveness, the examine discovered, typically trusted the experience of deployed personnel and their integration into current nationwide response programs.
“This workshop reinforces the necessity for world partnerships to evolve–where worldwide deployments aren’t simply reactive measures, however deliberate investments in nationwide programs, tailor-made to native realities and long-term targets,” mentioned Dr Edmund Newman, Director of the UK-PHRST.
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“Proof-informed studying should information how we enhance emergency public well being deployments,” added Dr Femi Nzegwu, Assistant Professor on the London College of Hygiene & Tropical Medication and Monitoring, Analysis and Studying lead at UK-PHRST. “The findings of the report validate experiences throughout Africa but additionally level to what should change to make sure deployments are simpler, context-specific, equitable, and empowering for Member States.”
The workshop resulted within the collaborative growth of a roadmap to operationalise the report’s suggestions, serving as a great apply information on the way to allow sustainable options in outbreak administration amongst AU Member States. In flip, the report lays a basis for lowering long-term reliance on exterior surge capability by strengthening nationwide well being programs.
