ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, December 10, 2015/APO (African Press Organization)/ —
In January 2015, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) endorsed the establishment of a public health institute dedicated to the African continent. The purpose of this new organization, known as the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), is to reduce sickness and death by improving prevention, detection, and response to public health threats.
The AU Member States will be the direct beneficiaries of the Africa CDC. By supporting African countries in their efforts to monitor the public’s health, respond to emergencies, address complex health challenges, and build needed capacity, the Africa CDC will help close dangerous gaps in Africa’s public health systems.
The Africa CDC Coordination Office is based at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. However, five Regional Collaborating Centers, one in each region of the continent, will help execute the day-to-day work of the organization and ensure that the continent is supported at the point of need.
In preparation for the launch of the Africa CDC, the African Union Commission has commenced work to renovate the old clinic buildings into the center’s headquarters. The African Union Commission is working together with United Sates based Tulane University in the renovations.
The first meeting of the Technical Subcommittee whose purpose is to ensure collaboration on the renovations and set up of the Africa CDC Emergency Operations Center between all parties was held on 17 November 2015. To date, the preparation of the Emergency Operations Center is almost complete. What remains are the fittings that will enable the center to start operating. It is expected that operations will start in early 2016.
