Member states of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in West Africa have reaffirmed their commitment to bolster disease surveillance, emergency response systems, and overall public health readiness ahead of 2026.
At the close of a four-day technical coordination meeting in Abuja, the Africa CDC's regional director for West Africa, Dr. Alinon Kokou, said the meeting provided "a real picture" of public health preparedness across the region.
"Countries shared experiences, learned from one another, and we, as Africa CDC, obtained the necessary information to plan effectively for 2026," he said.
A key outcome of the meeting was the push for faster adoption of the global 7-1-7 emergency response benchmark, which aims to detect outbreaks within seven days, notify within one day, and initiate a response within the following seven days.
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"Some countries are still behind. Member states want us to strengthen the 7-1-7 target and support them to be fully compliant," Dr. Kokou noted.
The establishment and reinforcement of NPHIs also emerged as a priority. Africa CDC pledged to expand support to countries that have yet to complete their institutional structures.
"The realities differ from country to country. Our role is to help each nation set up or strengthen an NPHI that fits its national context," he said.
Participants also raised concerns over the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), now accounting for more than 60 per cent of hospital deaths in the region, and stressed the need for innovative health-promotion strategies to reduce risk factors.
Maternal mortality was another major concern, with Africa CDC pledging to work closely with UNFPA and other partners to design targeted interventions.
Funding shortfalls for public health programs, worsened by cuts in foreign aid, were highlighted as a persistent challenge. "Many U.S.-funded projects have been affected due to cuts," Dr. Kokou noted, calling for innovative domestic resource mobilisation.
Countries affected by conflict including Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and parts of northern Nigeria and Togo reported steep declines in immunisation coverage, particularly for zero-dose children. Africa CDC is exploring alternative strategies to deliver vaccines in hard-to-reach and insecure areas.
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Addressing concerns that political transitions could hinder cooperation, Dr. Kokou emphasised that Africa CDC treats all member states equally.
"We are a public health institution. Disease has no interest in democracy or military rule. We support all member states equally.
No country should be left behind," he said.
The Permanent Secretary of The Gambia's Ministry of Health and Chair of Africa CDC West Africa, Dr. Yusupha Touray, described the sessions as "highly educative" and praised the quality of country presentations. He noted that discussions on NPHIs and unified surveillance systems represent a major step toward coordinated regional health security.
"Diseases don't wait for the right moment. With the motivation we've seen, and with Africa CDC's follow-up, implementation will start quickly," he said, adding that member states are committed to supporting one another to strengthen emergency preparedness.
"That is the strength of this union," Dr. Touray declared.
The meeting underscored a renewed regional resolve to ensure no country is left behind as West Africa prepares for future health challeng
The meeting brought together directors of surveillance, heads of National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs), and emergency preparedness officials from 15 countries. Participants reviewed progress in their respective states and identified key gaps to inform the continent's health security work plan for the coming year.
