The Institut Pasteur de Dakar in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and the European Union has inaugurated the Centre for Africa’s Resilience to Epidemics (CARE) as a critical component of the MADIBA partnership. The new centre which is housed on the campus of the Institut Pasteur (IPD), Senegal, envisions Africa as a prepared and resilient continent, transforming diseases into opportunities for social, economic, and cultural benefits.
The launch of the facility is focused on making CARE the convergence point for communities and epidemics, fostering a culture of innovation, and translating cutting-edge knowledge into disruptive solutions. This marks a significant stride towards the envisioned partnership, bringing essential training for Africa directly to the continent itself.
Speaking at the occasion, Marie Khemesse Ngom Ndiaye, the Minister of Health, Senegal said that: "diplomacy is becoming an essential tool to promote global health and preserve the well-being of our citizens. It can be a catalyst for mobilizing resources and promoting policies that promote overall health”.
Dr. Amadou Sall, the CEO of Institut Pasteur de Dakar explained during the ceremony that some 1,000 students will be trained in various disciplines at the centre. According to him, "CARE will work on epidemics by ensuring that there is a certain resilience over time so that we can prevent epidemics, predict them and provide a response. To do this, we are going to train students in biology, whether it is all disciplines related to epidemics, how to communicate, detect and treat the patient".
Also speaking at the ceremony, Serge-Auguste Kouakou, Country Director WAEMU, Mastercard Foundation stated that CARE is the first hub on the continent exclusively devoted to advancing the discipline of Epidemic Preparedness and Response (EPR).
He stated, “This advanced physical facility houses the MADIBA Workforce Development Initiative, the Foundation’s $45 million partnership with IPD designed to attract, train, and inspire the skilled and specialized workforce needed to jump-start vaccine manufacturing in Africa and get from zero to sixty”.
CARE's main objective is to train the next generation of leaders, decision-makers, and actors involved on epidemic fronts, to promote disease intelligence by collecting, storing, and analyzing massive epidemiological data, and to translate epidemic research into social and commercial value by fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.
The centre boasts a state-of-the-art amphitheatre with a seating capacity for 100 students, along with six modern classrooms designed to foster interactive learning. In addition to these, there is a fully equipped laboratory space dedicated to experimental sciences, allowing for a hands-on approach to education. The facility is also outfitted with cutting-edge Virtual and Augmented Reality technology to provide immersive training experiences. Furthermore, the centre is furnished with rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing technology, enabling practical demonstrations and real-time innovation in design and production. This suite of advanced equipment and facilities is meticulously curated to ensure that the training provided is not only comprehensive but also at the leading edge of educational and technological advancements.
