Africa CDC Urges Self-Sufficiency Amid Rising Health Crises

Addis Ababa, April 6 (NationPress) As Africa confronts an extraordinary increase in public health crises, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has urged African nations to enhance their domestic funding mechanisms to tackle both emerging and ongoing public health issues.

The Africa CDC made this appeal in two recent publications -- the Africa CDC Annual Report 2024 and the Africa's Health Financing in a New Era Report, both unveiled on Thursday. The reports highlight the agency's progress in fostering disease control and health security throughout Africa, while also detailing challenges that could undermine the continent's hard-won public health advancements, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

Data from the African Union's specialized healthcare agency indicates that the continent has experienced an unprecedented rise in public health emergencies over the last two years, escalating by approximately 41 percent -- from 152 disease outbreaks in 2022 to 213 in 2024. This increase has placed significant stress on already vulnerable health systems, revealing deep-rooted weaknesses and critically diminishing the continent's ability to respond quickly and effectively.

The health sector in Africa is grappling with a financing crisis, exacerbated by a dramatic 70 percent drop in official development aid between 2021 and 2025, according to the Africa CDC.

Additionally, this situation is complicated by the continent's heavy reliance on external sources, with over 90 percent of vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics being imported, which leaves nations susceptible to global supply chain disruptions.

The Africa CDC warns that without urgent intervention, the continent risks reversing two decades of health advancements, potentially leading to an additional two to four million preventable deaths each year. Furthermore, an estimated 39 million more Africans could fall into poverty by 2030 due to the interconnected health and economic challenges, as stated in its health financing report.

In its annual report, the Africa CDC reaffirmed its commitment to tackling public health challenges across the continent by outlining achievements in six strategic priority areas. These priorities focus on enhancing integrated health systems, promoting local manufacturing of health products, improving early warning and surveillance systems, strengthening national public health institutes, advancing laboratory systems and networks, and ensuring robust emergency preparedness and response to health threats.

The report also emphasized the Africa CDC's critical role in aiding national efforts in response to several major public health emergencies in 2024, including managing the mpox outbreak that impacted over 20 African nations and addressing the Marburg virus disease in Rwanda, while also assisting 15 African nations dealing with cholera outbreaks.