African health leaders and global partners have concluded a high-level review at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), signaling a transformative shift toward a faster and more predictable response to continental health threats. The five-day summit focused on institutionalizing the Incident Management Support Team (IMST) a unified coordination model that has proven pivotal in the fight against mpox.
The “4-Ones” Framework for Continental Security
Central to Africa’s new strategy is the 4-Ones framework: one team, one plan, one budget, and one monitoring system. This approach, co-led by the Africa CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO), was first activated in August 2024 to tackle the mpox outbreak. By breaking down silos between international NGOs and local governments, the IMST ensures that all partners operate under a single operational command.
“The IMST has demonstrated the value of a single, integrated operational framework that places countries at the centre and partners behind one plan,” stated Dr. Yap Boum II, the IMST’s deputy incident manager. He emphasized that the review ensures gains made during the mpox crisis are not lost but are instead institutionalized for future emergencies.
Measurable Success in Vaccine Literacy and Funding
The effectiveness of this coordinated front is reflected in the data. Since the IMST’s inception, health officials have mobilized over US$1.1 billion and deployed more than five million vaccine doses. Perhaps most significantly, targeted risk communication reached 50 million people across 33 countries, driving a surge in public trust. Vaccine acceptance rates skyrocketed from 44% to 87% in priority areas, a victory attributed to the unified messaging of the multi-agency team.
Despite these successes, the transition comes at a precarious time. While the public health emergencies for mpox have officially ended, cholera remains a persistent threat, with 14 African nations currently battling active outbreaks.
A Blueprint for Rapid Activation
The meeting concluded with a consolidated draft of the IMST operations framework. This document clarifies the triggers for rapid activation, ensuring that when the next pathogen emerges, Africa does not have to build its response from scratch. The framework bridges the gap between continental oversight and country-level execution, creating a seamless link for surge capacity and logistics.
Dr. John Otshudiema, WHO Acting Regional Mpox Incident Manager, underscored the long-term impact of the summit’s outcomes. “The Health Emergency Response Framework and the mpox Integration and Transition Road Map provide a strong, evidence-based foundation to guide rapid activation and coordinated response, in full alignment with established emergency standards,” Otshudiema noted.
As Africa moves forward, the IMST will remain a time-bound, response-focused mechanism ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice, ensuring the continent moves from reactive firefighting to a proactive, sovereign health defense.
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