CI-NEWS

Disease Control Partnership Signed.

2019-09-06

No: 445

As part of efforts to provide Africa Union (AU) member States with an array of risk and disease control mechanisms, a partnership agreement has been signed between the African Risk Capacity and the Africa Centre for Disease Control in Yokohama, Japan to establish a collaborative framework to help member countries strengthen preparedness and emergency response measures against infectious diseases of epidemic nature. Signed on August 28, 2019 at the sidelines of the ongoing Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7), the agreement aims at tightening disease control on the continent. The Director General of the African Risk Capacity (ARC), Mohamed Beavolui, signed on behalf of his institution, while the Director of the African Centre for Disease Control (CDC), Dr.John Nkengasong, penned for his outfit. Speaking after the signing ceremony, Mohamed Beavolui said the accord has as objective improving disease and risk management in the continent. “This Agreement is in line with ongoing strategic and technical collaboration to provide AU member states with an array of risk management tools including early warning, contingency planning and alternative financing options against infectious diseases,” he explained.

The Director General further stated that the next steps will be exploring how to quickly assist governments in revitalizing capacities for risk reduction and mitigation as well as encouraging the prioritization of investments in emergency preparedness and response plans for effective recovery from public health events.

Meanwhile, the Director of Africa CDC, Dr. John Nkengasong, noted the agreement will promote partnerships to address emerging and endemic diseases and other public health emergencies.

“Establishing early warning and response surveillance platforms to address all health emergencies in a timely and effective manner towards supporting public emergency preparedness and responses are pivotal to our work,” he stated.

ARC and Africa CDC have over the years been working together in collaboration with other stakeholders on establishing the “Africa Epidemic preparedness index” which is an innovative project for fostering outbreak preparedness assessments within the framework of the International Health Regulation (IHR 2005) compliance.

While Africa CDC through their mission supports African countries in addressing outbreaks, man-made and natural disasters and public health events of regional and international concern, ARC, for her part, assists member countries to increase capacities of better planning to respond to extreme weather events, natural disasters and achieve good security for the population. Following the partnership agreement, member countries therefore have a more coordinated platform to exchange ideas, share lessons learnt and build capacities of each other on risk and disease control methods as well as their management in emergency situations.

Culled from Cameroon Tribune.

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

Disease Control Partnership Signed.