Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

Last updated

Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)
Agency overview
Formed2016;8 years ago (2016)
StatusActive
Headquarters16/17, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Parent department African Union
Website https://africacdc.org/

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is a public health agency of the African Union to support the public health initiatives of member states and strengthen the capacity of their health institutions to deal with disease threats. The Africa CDC ideas was proposed by the government of Ethiopia in 2013 during a TB/HIV special summit in Abuja, Nigeria. From 2013 to 2016, the modalities and statue of Africa CDC were developed and the specialized agency was officially launched in January 2017. [1]

Contents

The agency is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

History

The Africa CDC was established in 2016 by the 26th Ordinary Assembly of Heads of State and Government to improve coordination among health institutions among African Union member states in dealing with disease threats. [1] African Union member states had first considered the idea of establishing a continent wide public health agency in 2013 at an AU Special Summit on HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Abuja Nigeria (July 2013). The idea was proposed by the government of Ethiopia, then the Chair of the AU. The Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014 accelerated the establishment of the Africa CDC, and also shaped perceptions of what its main purpose was to be and strengthened the importance of health emergency prevention and response. In July 2015, the African Union Ministers of Health meeting in Malabo had adopted the Statute of the Africa CDC, which called for fast-tracking the establishment of the institution. [2] The agency was officially launched in January 2017. [1] [3] [4]

2019–21 COVID-19 pandemic

The Africa CDC has played a role in responding to the global 2019–20 COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected Africa. In early April 2020, Director Dr John Nkengasong condemned remarks by two French scientists Professors Jean-Paul Mira and Camille Locht suggesting that a potential tuberculosis vaccine for the coronavirus be test in Africa as "disgusting and racist". Dr Mira has since apologized for his remarks. [5] [6] [7]

On 2 May 2020, the Africa CDC confirmed had nearly 40,000 cases, nearly 1,700 deaths, and more than 13,000 recoveries, and that COVID-19 had occurred in 53 African countries. [8] As of June 18, 2020, Africa CDC reported that 52 African Union Member States recorded a number of 267,519 cases, 7197 deaths, and 122,661 recoveries. [9] Egypt, Algeria, and South Africa were considered the countries with the highest risk to import the virus and with a moderate to high capability to block the virus outbreak. [9]

The Africa CDC has also worked with the Jack Ma Foundation to distribute COVID-19 testing kits throughout the continent. In 7 May, Dr Nkengasong disputed Tanzanian President John Magufuli's criticism that these tests were faulty and giving too many false positives. [10]

On 6 January 2021, the Africa CDC reported that the total number of cases in Africa has reached 2,854,971 while the death toll has reached 67,986 and that 2,361,900 have recovered. [11] On May 21, 2021, 55 member states of the African Union declared 4,732,150 cases, 127,612 deaths, and 4,238,275 recoveries. [12]

On 13 April 2021, the Partnership for African Vaccine Manufacturing was launched, aiming to increase vaccine production in Africa. Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa were identified as countries where mRNA vaccines might be produced. Africa CDC aims to have 60% of vaccines used in Africa be produced in Africa by 2040, as opposed to less than 1% in 2021. [13]

An African Epidemics Fund was agreed to in a February 2022 meeting. It is expected that its governance framework will be in place by July 2023. Separately, the Africa CDC is seeking "implementing entity" status in the World Bank's Pandemic Fund. [14]

Organizational structure

Africa CDC director John Nkengasong in Kampala, 2016 Africa CDC Director Dr. John Nkengasong (37892303376).jpg
Africa CDC director John Nkengasong in Kampala, 2016

The Africa CDC is based at the Africa CDC Coordinating Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which also contains the agency's Emergency Operations Centre. [3] [4] The agency were led by Director Dr John Nkengasong and Deputy Director Ahmed Ogwell Ouma. Besides its Executive Office and a Science and Programme Office, the agency also has several divisions dealing with "policy, health diplomacy, and communication," "management and administration," "surveillance and disease intelligence," "laboratory systems and networks," "emergency preparedness and response," and " public health institutes and research." [15]

Since February 2023, the General Director appointed by the AU assembly is Dr Jean Kaseya from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [16]

The Africa CDC also has regional collaboration centres in Egypt, Nigeria, Gabon, Zambia and Kenya; which cover Northern Africa, Western Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa, and Eastern Africa respectively. [3] [4] [17] The Africa CDC also runs a specialised Pathogen Genomics Intelligence Institute and an Institute for Workforce Development. [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</span> United States government public health agency

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert R. Redfield</span> American medical researcher and CDC director

Robert Ray Redfield Jr. is an American virologist who served as the Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry from 2018 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention</span> Chinese public health agency

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention is an institution directly under the National Health Commission, based in Changping District, Beijing, China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deborah Birx</span> American physician and diplomat

Deborah Leah Birx is an American physician and diplomat who served as the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator under President Donald Trump from 2020 to 2021. Birx specializes in HIV/AIDS immunology, vaccine research, and global health. Starting in 2014, she oversaw the implementation of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program to support HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention programs in 65 countries. From 2014-2020, Birx was the United States global AIDS coordinator for presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump and served as the United States special representative for global health diplomacy between 2015 and 2021. Birx was part of the White House Coronavirus Task Force from February 2020 to January 2021. In March 2021, Birx joined ActivePure Technology as Chief Medical and Science Advisor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic in the United States</span>

In the United States, the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in 103,436,829 confirmed cases with 1,170,784 all-time deaths, the most of any country, and the 20th-highest per capita worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic ranks first on the list of disasters in the United States by death toll; it was the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2020, behind heart disease and cancer. From 2019 to 2020, U.S. life expectancy dropped by 3 years for Hispanic and Latino Americans, 2.9 years for African Americans, and 1.2 years for white Americans. These effects persisted as U.S. deaths due to COVID-19 in 2021 exceeded those in 2020, and life expectancy continued to fall from 2020 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic in Africa</span> Ongoing COVID-19 viral pandemic in Africa

The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have spread to Africa on 14 February 2020, with the first confirmed case announced in Egypt. The first confirmed case in sub-Saharan Africa was announced in Nigeria at the end of February 2020. Within three months, the virus had spread throughout the continent, as Lesotho, the last African sovereign state to have remained free of the virus, reported a case on 13 May 2020. By 26 May, it appeared that most African countries were experiencing community transmission, although testing capacity was limited. Most of the identified imported cases arrived from Europe and the United States rather than from China where the virus originated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria</span> Ongoing COVID-19 viral pandemic in Nigeria

The COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria was a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The first confirmed case in Nigeria was announced on 27 February 2020, when an Italian national in Lagos tested positive for the virus. On 9 March 2020, a second case of the virus was reported in Ewekoro, Ogun State, a Nigerian citizen who came into contact with the Italian national.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo</span> Ongoing COVID-19 viral pandemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The COVID-19 pandemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The virus was confirmed to have reached the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 10 March 2020. The first few confirmed cases were all outside arrivals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic in Libya</span> Ongoing COVID-19 viral pandemic in Libya

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have spread to Libya on 24 March 2020, when the first case was officially confirmed in Tripoli.

The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached Somalia on 16 March 2020 when the first case was confirmed in Mogadishu. The Somali Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Khaire announced that the government has set aside five million dollars to deal with the disease. The Somali Medical Association is concerned that the death toll in the country will be huge and that Somalia will not be able to recover from the economic effects due to poor working relations between central government and federal states which leads to lack of control by central government, as well and the lack of healthcare infrastructure. It has also been speculated that President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed may use the pandemic as an excuse to postpone elections. There have also been concerns over freedom of the press following arrests and intimidation of journalists who have been covering the pandemic in Somalia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic in Benin</span> Ongoing COVID-19 viral pandemic in Benin

The COVID-19 pandemic in Benin was a part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The virus was confirmed to have reached Benin in March 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic in Tanzania was a part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached Tanzania in March 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moderna COVID-19 vaccine</span> RNA COVID-19 vaccine

The Moderna COVID‑19 vaccine, sold under the brand name Spikevax, is a COVID-19 vaccine developed by the American company Moderna, the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). Depending on the jurisdiction, it is authorized for use in humans aged six months, twelve years, or eighteen years and older. It provides protection against COVID-19, which is caused by infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It is designed to be administered in two or three 0.5-mL doses given by intramuscular injection at an interval of at least 28 days apart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic in the Comoros</span> Ongoing COVID-19 viral pandemic in the Comoros

The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the Comoros on 30 April 2020, and by 4 May the first death was announced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nancy Messonnier</span> American medical epidemiologist at the CDC

Nancy Messonnier is an American physician who served as the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2016 to 2021. She worked on the CDC's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Nkengasong</span> Cameroonian-American virologist

John N. Nkengasong is a Cameroonian-American virologist serving as the Global AIDS Coordinator in the Biden administration since 2022 and Senior Bureau Official for Global Health Security and Diplomacy since 2023. He previously worked as the Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention from 2016 to 2022, as well as at the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nkengasong was appointed the WHO Special Envoy for Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine</span> Type of vaccine for humans

The Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, sold under the brand name Comirnaty, is an mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine developed by the German biotechnology company BioNTech. For its development, BioNTech collaborated with the American company Pfizer to carry out clinical trials, logistics, and manufacturing. It is authorized for use in humans to provide protection against COVID-19, caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The vaccine is given by intramuscular injection. It is composed of nucleoside-modified mRNA (modRNA) encoding a mutated form of the full-length spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, which is encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles. Initial advice indicated that vaccination required two doses given 21 days apart, but the interval was later extended to up to 42 days in the US, and up to four months in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rochelle Walensky</span> American medical scientist (born 1969)

Rochelle Paula Walensky is an American physician-scientist who served as the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2021 to 2023 and had also served as the administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry in her capacity as the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2021 to 2023. On May 5, 2023, she announced her resignation, effective June 30, 2023. Prior to her appointment at the CDC, she had served as the chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Walensky is an expert on HIV/AIDS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janssen COVID-19 vaccine</span> Vaccine against COVID-19

The Janssen COVID‑19 vaccine, sold under the brand name Jcovden, is a COVID‑19 vaccine that was developed by Janssen Vaccines in Leiden, Netherlands, and its Belgian parent company Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of American company Johnson & Johnson.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "About Us". Africa CDC. Archived from the original on 30 April 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  2. "Africa CDC Official Launch". African Union. 2017-01-31. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 2020-04-13.
  3. 1 2 3 "The African Union launches Africa CDC, a Continent-wide Public Health Agency". Reliefweb . 2017-02-02. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-04-13.
  4. 1 2 3 "Africa CDC: Improving Disease Detection and Emergency Response on the African Continent". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2017-07-27. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-04-13.
  5. "Statement of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on the Potential Clinical Trial of a Tuberculosis Vaccine Protective Against COVID-19 in Africa". Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 9 April 2020. Archived from the original on 9 April 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  6. "French Doctor Apologises for Suggesting COVID-19 Treatment Be Tested in Africa". NY Times/Reuters. 3 April 2020. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  7. Mayberry, Kate; Siddiqui, Usaid; Najjar, Farah (9 April 2020). "Spain reports 683 coronavirus deaths in one day: Live updates". Al Jazeera . Archived from the original on 9 April 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  8. Qazi, Shereena; Varshalomidze, Tamila (2 May 2020). "Official says US missed chances to slow coronavirus: Live updates". Al Jazeera . Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  9. 1 2 Staunton, Ciara; Swanepoel, Carmen; Labuschaigne, Melodie (July 25, 2020). "Between a rock and a hard place: COVID-19 and South Africa's response". Journal of Law and the Biosciences. Oxford University Press. 7 (1): 188–199. doi:10.1093/jlb/lsaa052. ISSN   2053-9711. OCLC   8662211992. PMC   7454702 . PMID   3290867.
  10. Rashid, Zaheena; Gadzo, Mersiha; Stepansky, Joseph (7 May 2020). "Coronavirus could kill 190,000 in Africa, WHO warns: Live updates". Al Jazeera . Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  11. Wangpinghabtamu (6 January 2021). "Africa's confirmed COVID-19 cases pass 2.85 mln: Africa CDC". The Star . Archived from the original on 6 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  12. Africa CDC (May 21, 2021). "African Union Member States reporting COVID-19 cases". Africanews. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  13. Jerving, Sarah (14 April 2021). "AU launches Partnership for African Vaccine Manufacturing". Devex. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  14. Jerving, Sarah (2 March 2023). "South African president to lead fundraising for new AU epidemics fund". Devex. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  15. "Staff Directory". Africa CDC. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  16. "AU Assembly Appoints Dr Jean Kaseya as Director General of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (AfricaCDC)". au.int. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  17. "Regional Collaborating Centres". Africa CDC. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  18. "Africa CDC Institutes". Africa CDC. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.