The World Health Organization (WHO) has praised Africa’s African Centre for Disease Control for strengthening the continent’s pandemic preparedness and response architecture, claiming that the mechanisms in place will help save Africans in the event of a pandemic outbreak.
Commending AU in a statement released on Thursday, the global health body said that it was in support of the union’s effort to come up with a pandemic declaration mechanism for Africa, adding that such mechanism could reduce Africa’s dependency on other continents in situations of subsequent pandemic outbreaks.
“As a long-standing partner and proponent of the Africa CDC, WHO fully applauds its elevation into a more robust and responsive institution as defined by Member States,” the statement by WHO read.
“WHO welcomes the ongoing discussion led by the Africa CDC on a potential continental pandemic declaration mechanism. It is important to assess the benefits and the risks for African Member States. Such a mechanism could reduce Africa’s dependence on others,” it added.
WHO also expressed concerns that such a mechanism could “trigger more travel and trade restrictions, isolating the continent, as happened with the emergence of the COVID-19 Omicron variant.”
The mechanism is expected to help Africa properly manage further pandemic outbreaks in and outside the continent.
WHO also revealed that approximately 54 African Member States are currently contributing to WHO’s new global architecture for health emergency preparedness, response, and resilience, which will determine how Africa will be protected from outbreaks originating elsewhere as well as how to manage health emergencies originating in Africa.
The global health body further commended the African Union for granting autonomy to the continent’s CDC.
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