Africa CDC Strengthens Continental Surveillance Architecture as CSAG Drives a New Era of Early Detection and Health Security By Raymond Enoch
Addis Ababa became the epicenter of Africa’s public health future this week as the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) convened the Continental Surveillance Technical Working Group (TWG) alongside members of the Continental Surveillance Advisory Group (CSAG) for a high-level, outcome-driven engagement aimed at transforming how the continent detects and responds to health threats.
The intensive multi-day session brought together epidemiologists, surveillance specialists, policy experts, and strategic partners, united by a shared objective: to reinforce Africa’s capacity for early warning, rapid information sharing, and timely public health action. Central to the discussions was the refinement of the Africa CDC Indicator-Based Surveillance Strategic Framework, a cornerstone policy tool designed to harmonize data collection, improve data quality, and accelerate decision-making across Member States.
Participants worked collaboratively to align national surveillance systems with continental priorities, ensuring that public health intelligence flows seamlessly from community level to regional and continental platforms. By strengthening indicator-based surveillance, Africa CDC is advancing its mandate to support countries in identifying outbreaks earlier, reducing response times, and minimizing the human, social, and economic costs of epidemics.
Members of the CSAG provided strategic oversight, emphasizing the importance of country ownership, interoperability of digital surveillance systems, and sustained investment in workforce capacity. The Advisory Group underscored that resilient surveillance systems are not merely technical assets, but instruments of health sovereignty—empowering African nations to generate, analyze, and act on their own data in real time.
The meeting also reinforced Africa CDC’s broader vision of a safer, healthier continent where public health teams are equipped with timely, reliable intelligence to protect communities before threats escalate into crises. Lessons from recent epidemics and pandemics informed discussions, with a strong focus on translating technical frameworks into practical, country-level impact.
As the session concluded, participants reaffirmed their commitment to collective action, technical excellence, and partnership. The outcomes from Addis Ababa mark a significant step toward a continent where early detection saves more lives, surveillance systems are fit for purpose, and Africa stands stronger in safeguarding the health of its people.
In strengthening surveillance today, Africa CDC and its partners are laying the foundation for a more secure public health future—one where preparedness, prevention, and protection remain at the heart of continental resilience.
