The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Africa CDC, has intensified its health preparedness agenda, calling for preventive Ebola vaccination in high-risk regions while integrating Mpox response into the continent’s routine health systems.
During a virtual briefing on Friday, Prof. Yap Boum, Deputy Incident Manager at Africa CDC’s Incident Management Support Team, highlighted new strides in epidemic surveillance, vaccine production, and cross-border cooperation.
According to Boum, scientists at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale in the Democratic Republic of Congo, led by Dr. Placide Mbala, sequenced the Ebola virus from a recent outbreak within 24 hours.
The sequencing confirmed a new spillover event linked to the 1976 strain, underscoring the recurring threat of zoonotic diseases in Ebola-endemic regions such as Kasai.
“This is the seventh Ebola outbreak in Kasai. Protecting frontline workers through preventive vaccination must now be our priority to avoid further health crises,” Boum said.
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He announced that 500,000 Ebola vaccine doses are currently available via the International Coordinating Group, with the DRC finalising a rollout plan for healthcare workers and vulnerable communities.
He also urged neighbouring countries — including Angola and Congo-Brazzaville — to strengthen border surveillance and initiate early vaccination to curb potential transmission.
Turning to Mpox, Boum disclosed that Africa CDC has secured six million vaccine doses for affected nations and is offering technical assistance to Liberia, Kenya, Ghana, and Guinea.
These countries, he said, are receiving vaccine shipments tailored to outbreak intensity and implementation readiness.
“Africa CDC is now integrating Mpox vaccination into the African Primary Immunisation framework,” he explained. “This will guarantee continuity and stimulate Africa’s capacity for local vaccine manufacturing.”
Dr. Kyeng Mercy, Head of the Epidemic Intelligence Unit, added that a continental roadmap had been developed to guide the shift from emergency response mechanisms to sustainable health integration.
“Our objective is to preserve the speed and coordination of emergency responses while embedding them into national health systems,” Mercy said. She encouraged all member states to adopt the roadmap according to their unique healthcare needs.
Mercy also revealed that Africa CDC is collaborating with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to secure 10 million cholera vaccine doses for swift deployment.
She underscored the importance of multi-disease preparedness, calling for unified strategies and stronger financing frameworks to enhance Africa’s epidemic readiness and long-term recovery capacity.
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