The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have endorsed a new regional collaboration framework to enhance public health emergency responses across Africa, particularly at the community level. This partnership aims to bolster health security through a combined effort to address ongoing and emerging health threats.
“As the continent and the world face new and emerging threats, our enduring partnership remains crucial in safeguarding health, enhancing emergency preparedness, and building a healthier, more resilient Africa,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
The partnership leverages WHO’s presence in 47 African countries and IFRC’s support of 49 national societies with over 1.4 million volunteers. The collaboration focuses on scaling up the response to health emergencies like the mpox outbreak, which has affected countries like Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“Our volunteers are members of the community who have built social trust over many years. They generate large reservoirs of applied research and data on the health status of communities,” said Mohammed Omer Mukhier-Abuzein, IFRC Regional Director for Africa.
In the DRC, where 90% of Africa’s mpox cases are reported, approximately 500,000 IFRC volunteers play a critical role in community surveillance and engagement. WHO and IFRC are working together to enhance vaccine rollout, with epidemiological data guiding vaccine distribution.
“By combining WHO’s technical expertise and national coordination with IFRC’s grassroots community mobilization, we can create a powerful and complementary response mechanism,” added Dr. Abdou Salam Gueye, WHO’s Regional Emergency Director for Africa.
The new framework focuses on capacity-building, disaster preparedness, vaccine access, and addressing health impacts related to climate change across the continent.
