By Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
Published October 3, 2022
African Union Commission and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have called on governments, multilateral organizations, philanthropies, the private sector, and civil society organizations, to support the full implementation of Africa’s New Public Health Order to drive global health security.
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The New Public Health Order for Africa, a road map to sustainable health outcomes and health security, is defined by five pillars:
- Strong African Public Health Institutions that represent African priorities in global health governance and that drive progress on key health indicators;
- Expanded Manufacturing of Vaccines, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics to democratize access to life-saving medicines and equipment;
- Investment in Public Health Workforce and Leadership Programs to ensure Africa has the workforce it needs to address health threats;
- Increased Domestic Investment in Health, including the domestic mobilization of financial resources, human capital, technical resources, and networks; and
- Respectful, Action-Oriented Partnerships to advance vaccine manufacturing, health workforce development, and strong public health institutions.
Call to Strengthen African Public Health Institutions
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African leaders have called for support to strengthen Africa’s public health institutions, including Africa CDC which led the coordination of Africa’s pandemic response, helping to significantly reduce loss of life during COVID-19.
Moussa Faki Mahamat, African Union Chairperson , says African Union Assembly granted Africa CDC autonomy in February 2022 so it could fulfill its mandate in supporting member states to achieve health sovereignty.
“But Africa CDC alone,” Mahamat stresses, “cannot meet this challenge,” he added.
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Calling upon all vaccine-purchasing mechanisms, such as the Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunization (GAVI), to purchase at least 30 percent of their vaccines from manufacturers in Africa, Africal leaders have called for development of health workforce as World Health Organization estimates that Africa currently has a ratio of 1.55 health workers (physicians, nurses, and midwives) per 1,000 people. This is below the WHO threshold density of 4.45 health workers per 1,000 people needed to deliver essential health services and achieve universal health coverage.