Africa CDC Unveils Strategic Plan to Tackle Tropical Diseases Across Continent.

Addis Ababa: African countries, under the leadership of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), have endorsed a new continental strategic plan as a blueprint to tackle endemic and neglected tropical diseases across Africa. The new strategic plan was endorsed by African Union (AU) members during a high-level gathering convened by the Africa CDC from Nov. 27 to 29 in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital.According to Ghana News Agency, delegates from all AU members came together to review and approve the continental blueprint for 2024-2027, aimed at combating endemic and neglected tropical diseases. This initiative emphasizes integrated health systems and prioritizes preventing and controlling major health threats such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, hepatitis, and neglected tropical diseases.Data from the AU's specialized healthcare agency shows that infectious diseases continue to have a disproportionate impact in Africa, with the continent accounting for 94 percent of global malaria cases and 95 percent of malaria-related deaths. Additionally, the continent bears 40 percent of the global burden of neglected tropical diseases, with all African countries facing at least one endemic neglected tropical disease.Despite the disproportionate impact on public health in Africa, the Africa CDC identified the main barriers to progress in tackling these health threats as underfunding, weak health systems, limited research, and poor access to healthcare treatments. Africa CDC Director-General, Jean Kaseya, emphasized that the launch of the strategic plan underscored AU members' renewed commitment to preventing and controlling endemic and neglected tropical diseases across the continent. He stressed the need to intensify efforts to find lasting solutions and create a more resilient, integrated, and inclusive health future for Africa.The Africa CDC stated that the newly endorsed continental strategic plan represents a unified effort to address the continent's most urgent health challenges b y integrating prevention and control strategies into national health systems. The plan aligns with 'A New Public Health Order for Africa,' a framework for action launched by the Africa CDC that focuses on boosting the continent's self-reliance in health security. It also complements the health and development aspirations of the AU's 50-year continental development blueprint Agenda 2063, according to the statement.