Africa steps up war on cholera, Ebola

AFRICAN Union’s Centre for Disease Control (CDC) has stepped up efforts to mitigate against various repeated outbreaks such as cholera, Ebola and yellow fever in member countries by capacitating key stakeholders and putting in place coordinating structures to better prevent and control emerging outbreaks.

This comes amid revelations that the World Health Organisation was not adequately addressing all health challenges affecting the African continent.

Addressing health journalists from nine Southern African countries attending the inagural roundtable for health reporters in Southern Africa taking place in Lusaka, Zambia yesterday, Africa CDC head of policy and health diplomacy Dr Benjamin Djoudalbaye said despite existence of other health bodies for several years now, Africa still has very weak health systems suscepteble to a number of outbreaks.

“Africa still has very weak health systems. Is the WHO enough to tackle all the issues in this continent, certainly not,” said Dr Djoudalbaye.

He said there was need by African journalists to profile the work being done by Africa CDC in averting outbreaks in the region.

“We need the media to tell the African narrative. Infact, we are doing very well in responding to emergencies in our continent. Africa can tell it’s own story. I can tell you that we are doing a lot of work, in DRC Ebola outbreak, just that no trumpet has been blown,” he said.

Speaking at the same occasion, Africa CDC communications officer Dr Promesse Kaniki said Africa has been affected by many outbreaks in the last decade, claiming thousands of lives.

He said the AU was worried by continued increase in incidences and geographical coverage of these outbreaks.