Africa CDCThe participants in a group photographThe Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Tuesday March 28, in Nairobi, Kenya, officially launched its continental event-based surveillance (EBS) framework and other resources to strengthen the continent’s early warning systems.
The event was attended by over 150 participants, including, Directors of National Public Health Instituts and surveillance experts from African Union Member States. Member States agreed to adopt the Africa CDC event-based surveillance resources at the national and sub-nation levels during the event.
Speaking at the official launch, the Director of the National Public Health Institute, Ministry of Health, the Republic of Kenya, Dr Francis Kuria, on behalf of the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Hon. Dr Nakhumicha S. Wafula commented, “Kenya is committed and remains committed to working with the Africa CDC and other partners to improve its surveillance system by adopting and implementing these EBS resources we are launching today.”
Among the event-based surveillance resources that Africa CDC developed with the African Union Member States and stakeholders are the revised framework, event management system and training packages, event-based surveillance scorecard and the African Union Health Information Exchange (HIE) Policy and Standard document. Additionally, to create an avenue for event-based surveillance experts to share public health information and knowledge, Africa CDC also launched a continental event-based surveillance community of practice.
“Today marks an important milestone for the African continent, as we take a giant step forward in surveillance as we the event-based surveillance key resources that will greatly support countries’ efforts in establishing and strengthening their early warning systems for the timely detection and response of any public health threats. I am proud to say that Africa CDC’s Event Based Surveillance system has made and continues to enhance the event-based surveillance on the continent significantly.” Noted Dr Yenew Kebede, Acting Head of Division Surveillance and Disease Intelligence, Africa CDC.
“In 2018, Africa CDC developed an event-based surveillance framework that has since been implemented by over 20 AU Member States and Africa CDC supported 15 of them in adopting the Africa CDC framework at the national levels. In July 2022, following lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic and in line with Africa’s New Public Health Order, together with the Member States and stakeholders, Africa CDC revised the framework and developed additional resources to guide the establishment and implementation of event-based surveillance using a multisectoral One Health approach.
“I also wish to reaffirm Africa CDC’s commitment. We will continue to support Member States, Regional Economic Communities, AU Organs and Institutions, and other stakeholders to support the implementation of the outcomes of this meeting as well as to support Member States to domesticate these resources at national and sub-national levels as part of our mandate in the New Public Health Order for Africa,” said Dr. Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, Acting Director of Africa CDC.
The revised event-based surveillance framework aims at addressing a number of gaps such as early capturing, tracking, analysis and reporting of public health events at all levels using a multisectoral approach, different considerations and models in the establishment of event-based surveillance systems; integrating several sources at different levels of the system.