The World Health Organization has applauded the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention over the continental drive to strengthen the architecture of pandemic preparedness and response in Africa.
A statement signed by the WHO communication specialist Charity Warigon, on June 16, 2022, said the initiative is critical for protecting and saving African lives as evidenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thus beaming the WHO supports the potential continental pandemic declaration mechanism, noting that It is important to assess the benefits and the risks for the African Member States so as to enable the reduction of Africa’s dependence on others.
According to the statement, such a mechanism could also trigger more
travel and trade restrictions and isolate the continent as occurred with the emergence of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus.
“Fifty-four African Member States are also currently contributing to the new global architecture for health emergency preparedness, response, and resilience led by WHO.
Given increasing global interconnectivity, which we have seen with COVID-19, this negotiation will determine how Africa will be protected from outbreaks arising elsewhere and how to manage health emergencies originating in Africa.
Concerns over how the global and continental processes will work together, as well as questions over Africa CDC’s authority to declare public health emergencies of continental security, led the several African Member States to approach WHO for advice. Due to these requests, WHO understood there was a need to share advice more broadly and our African country representatives briefed their government counterparts.
WHO believes a careful reflection on the interfacing between the declaration of a public health emergency of continental security and the global process would be of benefit.
We look forward to a continued fruitful collaboration which will lead to Africa we all want, where everyone is protected from diseases and has access to quality and affordable health care.” The statement ended.
