Twelve African countries have pledged to deepen regional cooperation in the fight against infectious disease outbreaks, with a focus on preventing the spread of mpox and improving emergency health responses across borders.
The agreement was reached on Friday at a high-level meeting in Nairobi, where representatives from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Burundi, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, Sao Tome and Principe, South Sudan, Zambia, Kenya, the Republic of the Congo, and the Central African Republic committed to a shared action plan.
The regional pact, supported by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), aims to dismantle longstanding barriers in disease surveillance, emergency coordination, and data exchange. It also seeks to ensure better management of the movement of populations affected by health crises.
Africa CDC revealed that as of February 10, the continent had recorded more than 16,000 confirmed cases of mpox and over 1,100 deaths across 22 countries.
“The regional nature of this outbreak demands a collective response,” said Otim Patrick Ramadan, acting regional emergency response manager at the WHO Africa office. “This isn’t just about knowledge sharing — it’s about building a stronger, united front against health emergencies.”
Health experts and policymakers agree that fragmented responses have hindered Africa’s ability to respond swiftly and effectively to cross-border outbreaks. The new agreement aims to turn that tide.
“Diseases do not recognise borders,” said Dr. Linda Mobula, senior health specialist with the World Bank in the DRC. “Reinforcing regional coordination is essential — not only to strengthen governance and systems but to generate the political momentum necessary to save lives.”
The Nairobi meeting, convened by the World Bank alongside Africa CDC, WHO, UNICEF, and the International Organization for Migration, served as a platform for political dialogue, technical planning, and regional health alignment.
Participants underscored that collaboration is no longer optional, but essential. With global health threats on the rise, Africa’s ability to act collectively will determine its capacity to protect communities and prevent future crises.