The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) envisions a transformation into a world-class, self-sustaining entity aligning with universal health coverage, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. To realize this ambition, they are advocating for a groundbreaking initiative—a New Deal.
Infectious diseases persist as the primary culprits behind mortality and morbidity across the African continent. The pervasive impact of established, emerging, and resurging diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and more continues to inflict suffering and claim lives in significant proportions, primarily among the populations of low- and middle-income countries. Africa, in particular, bears the brunt of this burden. Shockingly, over 227 million years of healthy life have been squandered, accompanied by an annual productivity loss exceeding $800 billion.
Compounded by malnutrition, the five leading causes of mortality in Africa are acute respiratory infections, HIV/AIDS, diarrhea, malaria, and tuberculosis. This dire quintet shoulders approximately 80% of the total infectious disease burden, resulting in the tragic loss of more than six million lives each year.
The monumental impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has cast a long shadow over lives, livelihoods, and economies in Africa. With over 250,000 lives lost and more than 12 million reported cases, the pandemic wreaked havoc. Africa CDC took the helm in orchestrating a continental response, customizing strategies to confront the unique challenges and diverse epidemiology of the disease. Remarkably, despite these challenges, the continent’s response was swift, unified, and enjoyed strong public support for safety measures. Lessons gleaned from past outbreaks, including Ebola and polio, have profoundly informed this response. Africa’s quest for improved health security is now marked by the proposition of this visionary New Deal.
