Latest news with #AfricaCDC
The Star
2 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Africa CDC urges aggressive action to curb mpox outbreak in southern Ethiopia
ADDIS ABABA, May 30 (Xinhua) -- The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has called for aggressive efforts to control mpox in southern Ethiopia to avert possible cross-border spread. The East African country reported its first mpox case on May 25 when a 21-day-old infant tested positive in Moyale near the Kenyan border. On Friday, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health announced that the number of cases has now reached six as three new cases were confirmed. During an online media briefing on Thursday evening, Ngashi Ngongo, chief of staff and head of the Executive Office at Africa CDC, expressed concern due to Moyale town's close proximity to neighboring Somalia. "The proximity to Somalia, and knowing all the challenges in Somalia, makes it that we really need to be very bold and aggressive to control this outbreak from the source so that it does not expand from the region," he said. Meanwhile, Ngongo said that the African continent has reported 139,233 mpox cases since the start of last year. Of these, 34,824 were confirmed and about 1,788 related deaths were recorded. Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, was first detected in laboratory monkeys in 1958. It is a rare viral disease transmitted through body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials. The infection often causes fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes.
Zawya
3 days ago
- General
- Zawya
World Health Organization (WHO), Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and Robert Koch Institute (RKI) expand unique partnership to strengthen collaborative surveillance in Africa
The World Health Organization (WHO), Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced today the expansion of the successful Health Security Partnership to Strengthen Disease Surveillance in Africa (HSPA) to seven countries on the continent. The Health Security Partnership strengthens disease surveillance and epidemic intelligence across the African Continent, enabling countries to better detect and respond to public health threats – whether they are natural, accidental, or deliberate. Launched in 2023 in six countries, The Gambia, Mali, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, and Tunisia, the partnership will expand to other countries, including Rwanda, in its second phase which runs from 2025-2028. 'HSPA represents an important step forward in building stronger partnerships for health security in Africa. By bringing together global, regional and national actors, this initiative supports countries in strengthening Collaborative Surveillance through mutual exchange and practical action. WHO remains committed to working alongside Member States to ensure that these collective efforts are well-coordinated, responsive, and rooted in national priorities,' said Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting WHO Regional Director for Africa; Deputy Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme. Africa experiences more disease outbreaks than any other part of the world. While significant progress has been made in strengthening disease surveillance over the past decade, no country can tackle today's complex health threats alone. 'Within the framework of this project, Africa CDC will work with the Member States in mobilizing political will for biosecurity and surveillance, establishing regional frameworks for bio-surveillance of high-consequence biological agents and toxins, and coordinating event-based surveillance. The collaboration with other partners and coordination with Member States is crucial especially in the current context of limited resources to strengthen the continent's capacity for early detection, response, and management of biological threats,'said Dr Raji Tajudeen, Acting Deputy Director General and Head, Division of Public Health Institutes and Research, Africa CDC. At the heart of the initiative is a Collaborative Surveillance approach that connects health and security sectors to reduce biological risks and strengthen surveillance systems nationally and internationally. The partnership is supporting countries to strengthen capacities in biorisk management, event and indicator-based surveillance, genomic surveillance and epidemic intelligence. This is achieved through training, guidance development, co-creation of implementation roadmaps, and hands-on technical assistance to ensure that implementation is aligned with country priorities, embedded within broader national systems, and built for long-term sustainability. 'We are proud of what this partnership has achieved so far. It has strengthened health system coordination and resilience in the African Continent, delivering tangible gains in biosecurity, disease surveillance, genomic surveillance, and epidemic intelligence. This has only been possible because of the trusted partnership between Africa CDC, RKI and WHO with countries in the driver's seat,' said Dr Merawi Aragaw, Head of Surveillance and Disease at Africa CDC. The HSPA initiative has been supported from the start by the Government of Canada through its Weapons Threat Reduction Program, with additional funding in phase two from the Government of the United Kingdom. Building on the achievements in phase one, the participating countries, with support from WHO and partners, will accelerate implementation to build a healthier, safer and more resilient Africa. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
United News of India
7 days ago
- Health
- United News of India
Ethiopia reports first mpox case
Addis Ababa, May 26 (UNI) Ethiopia has recorded its first mpox case since the outbreak in Africa last year, the country's health authorities confirmed on Sunday. A 21-day-old infant has tested positive for mpox in Moyale town, near the Kenyan border, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health and Public Health Institute said in a joint statement. Noting that subsequent testing also confirmed that the child's mother is infected with the virus, the ministry said the child and his mother have been placed in quarantine. According to the ministry, both the child and his mother have not suffered any serious health problems so far and are currently in stable condition. It said coordinated efforts are underway to trace the source of the infection. As Ethiopia becomes the latest African country to report an mpox case, the total number of affected countries on the continent since the start of last year has now reached 26, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The ministry said that since the onset of the mpox outbreak in Africa, it has implemented a series of coordinated measures aimed at preventing the virus from entering the East African nation while also establishing strategies to control its spread should it enter the country. It said an emergency coordination centre has been established at the Public Health Institute to facilitate such efforts. "The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, wishes to emphasise its commitment to enhancing ongoing measures aimed at preventing and controlling the spread of the disease," it said. The ministry also urged anyone who has come into contact with individuals infected with the virus, as well as those exhibiting symptoms of mpox, to promptly seek appropriate medical care. Given that the virus has been reported only in a confined area, the ministry said the public should remain calm and maintain their usual daily routines while adhering to safety protocols outlined by health authorities. On Thursday, the Africa CDC announced that 25 mpox-affected African countries had reported more than 130,000 cases since the start of last year. Of these, 31,745 were confirmed, and about 1,774 related deaths were recorded. Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, was first detected in laboratory monkeys in 1958. It is a rare viral disease transmitted through body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials. The infection often causes fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes. UNI XINHUA ARN
The Star
25-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Ethiopia reports first mpox case
ADDIS ABABA, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia has recorded its first mpox case since the outbreak in Africa last year, the country's health authorities confirmed on Sunday. A 21-day-old infant has tested positive for mpox in Moyale town, near the Kenyan border, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health and Public Health Institute said in a joint statement. Noting that subsequent testing also confirmed that the child's mother is infected with the virus, the ministry said the child and his mother have been placed in quarantine. According to the ministry, both the child and his mother have not suffered any serious health problems so far and are currently in stable condition. It said coordinated efforts are underway to trace the source of the infection. As Ethiopia becomes the latest African country to report a mpox case, the total number of affected countries on the continent since the start of last year has now reached 26, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The ministry said that since the onset of the mpox outbreak in Africa, it has implemented a series of coordinated measures aimed at preventing the virus from entering the East African nation, while also establishing strategies to control its spread should it enter the country. It said an emergency coordination center has been established at the Public Health Institute to facilitate such efforts. "The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, wishes to emphasize its commitment to enhancing ongoing measures aimed at preventing and controlling the spread of the disease," it said. The ministry also urged anyone who has come into contact with individuals infected with the virus, as well as those exhibiting symptoms of mpox, to promptly seek appropriate medical care. Given that the virus has been reported only in a confined area, the ministry said the public should remain calm and maintain their usual daily routines while adhering to safety protocols outlined by health authorities. On Thursday, the Africa CDC announced that 25 mpox-affected African countries had reported more than 130,000 cases since the start of last year. Of these, 31,745 were confirmed, and about 1,774 related deaths were recorded. Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, was first detected in laboratory monkeys in 1958. It is a rare viral disease transmitted through body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials. The infection often causes fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes.
Zawya
19-05-2025
- Health
- Zawya
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and Unitaid partner to strengthen equitable access to health products in Africa
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and Unitaid have formed a new strategic partnership to expand the production of essential health products in Africa and improve sustainable access to medicines, diagnostics, and medical oxygen across the continent. Signed on the margins of the 78th World Health Assembly, the Memorandum of Understanding focuses on scaling up regional manufacturing as a central pillar of Africa's health security and autonomy. Africa bears 25% of the global disease burden yet imports more than 95% of the active pharmaceutical ingredients and 70% of the medicines it consumes. The continent has just 600 health product manufacturing sites for a population of 1.1 billion – compared to about 10,000 in India and 5,000 in China. To help address these gaps and bolster Africa's ability to respond to future pandemics, the partnership will support regional manufacturing of essential medical products such as diagnostics, therapeutics, and oxygen, while also building capacity to produce priority health products and scale up innovative technologies – including those developed in Africa. These efforts will target key health priorities such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis, cervical cancer, sexually transmitted infections, and other diseases and conditions – particularly those affecting women and children. 'This partnership reflects Africa's goals to develop and produce health products that people across the continent need while building a resilient future,' said Dr Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC. 'Together with Unitaid, we are building on African expertise, expanding our regional manufacturing capacity, and strengthening our ability to produce essential health products reliably, affordably, and closer to where they are needed.' Through this agreement, the two institutions will coordinate efforts to overcome regulatory, financing, and market challenges that hold back regional production. The collaboration also aims to improve pandemic preparedness by supporting the development and availability of health tools that are designed, produced, and delivered within Africa. 'Africa CDC and Unitaid share the same goal – to reinforce African capacity so the continent can sustainably respond to endemic diseases and regional health challenges,' said Dr. Philippe Duneton, Executive Director of Unitaid. 'By expanding regional production, we can help reduce supply chain risks, and ensure faster, more equitable access to lifesaving products while investing in industry development in the region.' The joint work will be guided by a shared action plan and regular progress reviews to ensure sustained momentum and accountability. Areas of collaboration will include supporting innovation in diagnostics, treatments, and medical technologies; strengthening regulatory and procurement pathways for locally produced health products; expanding access to medical oxygen; enhancing pandemic preparedness and response; and advancing joint advocacy for African-led solutions at both regional and global levels. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
