The New Public Health Order: Africa’s health security Agenda

The African continent has shown effective leadership in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by quickly implementing measures to limit its impact. However, unequal access to medical supplies and vaccines has exposed weaknesses in the global health ecosystem. The African Union, through the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, has created several continental mechanisms to address the pandemic, including the Africa Joint Continental Strategy for COVID-19 and the Africa Vaccine Acquisition Task Team. Despite progress, only 1% of Africa’s human vaccine needs are manufactured locally, highlighting the need to expand manufacturing of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics. To address deeper structural public health deficiencies, the African Union has launched a framework for action called “A New Public Health Order for Africa” with five strategic pillars. Investing in African health systems is crucial to achieving development ambitions outlined in Agenda 2063 and is a strategic investment for global health and economic security. To read the full article, click here. For more information on COVID-19, click here.