African heads of state and government have applauded the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention for its institutional reforms and progress in driving the continent’s health sovereignty agenda.

They also called for stronger and more sustainable financing mechanisms.

The resolution was reached on Tuesday during an Extraordinary Virtual Session of the Committee of Heads of State and Government of the Africa CDC.

The session was convened on the margins of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In a communiqué issued after the meeting, leaders reaffirmed Africa CDC’s role as the continent’s public health agency, responsible for providing strategic direction and support to member states in combating recurrent and emerging health threats.

They also recognised the mandate of the centre to strengthen local manufacturing, scale up pooled procurement, and advance regulatory harmonisation through the African Medicines Agency.

The CHSG congratulated Africa CDC for completing the United Kingdom’s Due Diligence Assessment, which enabled direct funding to the agency.

The leaders commended the UK’s commitment and invited other partners to adopt similar transparent and accountable funding mechanisms. They also highlighted Africa CDC’s progress in implementing the AU resolution on Africa Health Sovereignty and Sustainable Financing.

To strengthen fundraising efforts, Africa CDC was requested to consult and identify former African heads of state who could champion the agency’s resource mobilisation drive.

The CHSG congratulated the Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, the AU cholera champion, for convening a high-level emergency meeting in June and for launching, alongside Africa CDC and WHO, the continental cholera preparedness and response plan in Lusaka.

Partners and regional economic communities were urged to align their support with the plan, under the joint leadership of the Africa CDC and WHO, to avoid fragmentation.

Leaders also commended Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama for championing Africa’s Health Sovereignty agenda and directed the Africa CDC to host the Africa Health Sovereignty Initiative under his leadership.

They acknowledged the United States’ historic contribution to saving lives in Africa through global health assistance. The leaders, however, expressed concern over the placement of the AU and its organs, including the Africa CDC, on the U.S. prohibition list.

They called on Washington to reverse the decision and instead strengthen collaboration under the America First Global Health Strategy.

The CHSG also urged partners to support Africa CDC’s efforts to replenish Gavi, the Global Fund, and the Pandemic Fund.

They expressed support for the agency’s mandate to lead Africa’s engagement in implementing the WHO Pandemic Agreement and the amended International Health Regulations (2005).

They reiterated Africa’s vulnerability to outbreaks such as cholera, mpox, Marburg, Ebola, Lassa fever, and dengue.

The leaders said that there was an urgent need for increased domestic financing, accelerated local production of medical countermeasures, and greater solidarity in global health governance.

The session concluded with a strong commitment to speak with one voice at global fora and to protect the health of Africa’s populations through innovation, collaboration, and sustainable financing.

(NAN)