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Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

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The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is a public health agency of the African Union to support the public health initiatives of member states and strengthen the capacity of their health institutions to deal with disease threats. The idea of an African CDC was proposed by the government of Ethiopia in 2013, during a TB/HIV special summit in Abuja, Nigeria. From 2013 to 2016, the modalities and statute of Africa CDC were developed, and the specialized agency was officially launched in January 2017.[1]

Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)
Agency overview
Formed2016; 8 years ago (2016)
StatusActive
Headquarters16/17, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Parent departmentAfrican Union
Websitehttps://africacdc.org/

The agency is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

History

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The Africa CDC was established in 2016 by the 26th Ordinary Assembly of Heads of State and Government to improve coordination among health institutions among African Union member states in dealing with disease threats.[1] African Union member states had first considered the idea of establishing a continent wide public health agency in 2013 at an AU Special Summit on HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Abuja Nigeria (July 2013). The idea was proposed by the government of Ethiopia, then the Chair of the AU. The Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014 accelerated the establishment of the Africa CDC, and also shaped perceptions of what its main purpose was to be and strengthened the importance of health emergency prevention and response. In July 2015, the African Union Ministers of Health meeting in Malabo had adopted the Statute of the Africa CDC, which called for fast-tracking the establishment of the institution.[2] The agency was officially launched in January 2017.[1][3][4]

2019–21 COVID-19 pandemic

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The Africa CDC has played a role in responding to the global 2019–20 COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected Africa. In early April 2020, Director Dr John Nkengasong condemned remarks by two French scientists Professors Jean-Paul Mira and Camille Locht suggesting that a potential tuberculosis vaccine for the coronavirus be test in Africa as "disgusting and racist". Dr Mira has since apologized for his remarks.[5][6][7]

On 2 May 2020, the Africa CDC confirmed had nearly 40,000 cases, nearly 1,700 deaths, and more than 13,000 recoveries, and that COVID-19 had occurred in 53 African countries.[8] As of June 18, 2020, Africa CDC reported that 52 African Union Member States recorded a number of 267,519 cases, 7197 deaths, and 122,661 recoveries.[9] Egypt, Algeria, and South Africa were considered the countries with the highest risk to import the virus and with a moderate to high capability to block the virus outbreak.[9]

The Africa CDC has also worked with the Jack Ma Foundation to distribute COVID-19 testing kits throughout the continent. In 7 May, Dr Nkengasong disputed Tanzanian President John Magufuli's criticism that these tests were faulty and giving too many false positives.[10]

On 6 January 2021, the Africa CDC reported that the total number of cases in Africa has reached 2,854,971 while the death toll has reached 67,986 and that 2,361,900 have recovered.[11] On May 21, 2021, 55 member states of the African Union declared 4,732,150 cases, 127,612 deaths, and 4,238,275 recoveries.[12]

On 13 April 2021, the Partnership for African Vaccine Manufacturing was launched, aiming to increase vaccine production in Africa. Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa were identified as countries where mRNA vaccines might be produced. Africa CDC aims to have 60% of vaccines used in Africa be produced in Africa by 2040, as opposed to less than 1% in 2021.[13]

An African Epidemics Fund was agreed to in a February 2022 meeting. It is expected that its governance framework will be in place by July 2023. Separately, the Africa CDC is seeking "implementing entity" status in the World Bank's Pandemic Fund.[14]

Mpox

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In August 2024, Africa CDC declared the 2024 mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security, as it spread into other African countries from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[15]

Organizational structure

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Africa CDC director John Nkengasong in Kampala, 2016

The Africa CDC is based at the Africa CDC Coordinating Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which also contains the agency's Emergency Operations Centre.[3][4] The agency were led by Director Dr John Nkengasong and Deputy Director Ahmed Ogwell Ouma. Besides its Executive Office and a Science and Programme Office, the agency also has several divisions dealing with "policy, health diplomacy, and communication," "management and administration," "surveillance and disease intelligence," "laboratory systems and networks," "emergency preparedness and response," and " public health institutes and research."[16]

Since February 2023, the General Director appointed by the AU assembly is Dr Jean Kaseya from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [17]

The Africa CDC also has regional collaboration centres in Egypt, Nigeria, Gabon, Zambia and Kenya; which cover Northern Africa, Western Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa, and Eastern Africa respectively.[3][4][18] The Africa CDC also runs a specialised Pathogen Genomics Intelligence Institute and an Institute for Workforce Development.[19]

Buildings

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In 2018, at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation, China announced the construction of the African CDC headquarters as a flagship project in its partnership with Africa, following the success of the AU Conference Center and Office Complex.[20] By December 2020, groundbreaking had already begun ahead of schedule, and in November 2021, the main structure was topped out. In January 2023, the first phase of construction was completed.[21][22] This phase, covering nearly 23,600 square meters, was led by the China Civil Engineering Group Corporation and includes two office buildings and two laboratory buildings, housing office spaces, an emergency response center, information center, biological laboratories, and apartments for experts.[23] On January 11, 2023, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang attended the completion ceremony, announcing that the CDC headquarters would be transferred to the African Union, which will assume full responsibility for its operation and management.[24][25]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "About Us". Africa CDC. Archived from the original on 30 April 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Africa CDC Official Launch". African Union. 2017-01-31. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 2020-04-13.
  3. ^ a b c "The African Union launches Africa CDC, a Continent-wide Public Health Agency". Reliefweb. 2017-02-02. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-04-13.
  4. ^ a b c "Africa CDC: Improving Disease Detection and Emergency Response on the African Continent". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2017-07-27. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-04-13.
  5. ^ "Statement of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on the Potential Clinical Trial of a Tuberculosis Vaccine Protective Against COVID-19 in Africa". Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 9 April 2020. Archived from the original on 9 April 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  6. ^ "French Doctor Apologises for Suggesting COVID-19 Treatment Be Tested in Africa". NY Times/Reuters. 3 April 2020. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  7. ^ Mayberry, Kate; Siddiqui, Usaid; Najjar, Farah (9 April 2020). "Spain reports 683 coronavirus deaths in one day: Live updates". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 9 April 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  8. ^ Qazi, Shereena; Varshalomidze, Tamila (2 May 2020). "Official says US missed chances to slow coronavirus: Live updates". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  9. ^ a b Staunton, Ciara; Swanepoel, Carmen; Labuschaigne, Melodie (July 25, 2020). "Between a rock and a hard place: COVID-19 and South Africa's response". Journal of Law and the Biosciences. 7 (1). Oxford University Press: 188–199. doi:10.1093/jlb/lsaa052. ISSN 2053-9711. OCLC 8662211992. PMC 7454702. PMID 3290867.
  10. ^ Rashid, Zaheena; Gadzo, Mersiha; Stepansky, Joseph (7 May 2020). "Coronavirus could kill 190,000 in Africa, WHO warns: Live updates". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  11. ^ Wangpinghabtamu (6 January 2021). "Africa's confirmed COVID-19 cases pass 2.85 mln: Africa CDC". The Star. Archived from the original on 6 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  12. ^ Africa CDC (May 21, 2021). "African Union Member States reporting COVID-19 cases". Africanews. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  13. ^ Jerving, Sarah (14 April 2021). "AU launches Partnership for African Vaccine Manufacturing". Devex. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  14. ^ Jerving, Sarah (2 March 2023). "South African president to lead fundraising for new AU epidemics fund". Devex. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  15. ^ Africa CDC Declares Mpox A Public Health Emergency of Continental Security, Mobilizing Resources Across the Continent
  16. ^ "Staff Directory". Africa CDC. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  17. ^ "AU Assembly Appoints Dr Jean Kaseya as Director General of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (AfricaCDC)". au.int. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  18. ^ "Regional Collaborating Centres". Africa CDC. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  19. ^ "Africa CDC Institutes". Africa CDC. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  20. ^ "心相近｜中非，共"舞"向未来-新华网". 新华网_让新闻离你更近 (in Chinese). 2024-09-04. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  21. ^ "中国援非盟非洲疾控中心总部项目竣工仪式在埃塞俄比亚举行-国家国际发展合作署". 国家国际发展合作署 (in Chinese). 2023-01-20. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  22. ^ "中国援非盟非洲疾控中心总部项目竣工-新华网". 新华网_让新闻离你更近 (in Chinese). 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  23. ^ "每日一词∣非洲疾控中心总部项目 Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) headquarters project". 中国日报网 (in Chinese). 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  24. ^ "【非盟非洲疾控中心总部项目竣工 成为中非合作新标志】-国家发展和改革委员会". 中华人民共和国国家发展和改革委员会. 2023-01-19. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  25. ^ "中国援非盟非洲疾控中心总部项目竣工_World湃_澎湃新闻-The Paper". 澎湃新闻-专注时政与思想-ThePaper.cn (in Chinese). 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
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