Africa Needs a New Public Health Order to Tackle Infectious Disease Threats

John N Nkengasong; Sofonias K Tessema

doi:10.1016/j.cell.2020.09.041

Africa Needs a New Public Health Order to Tackle Infectious Disease Threats

Cell. 2020 Oct 15;183(2):296-300. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.09.041.

Authors

John N Nkengasong¹, Sofonias K Tessema²

Affiliations

¹ Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has revealed that Africa needs a new public health order to be resilient, to adapt, and to cope with 21st-century disease threats. The new order will need strengthened continental and national public health institutions; local manufacturing of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics; attraction, training, and retention of a public health workforce; and fostering of respectful local and international partnerships.

MeSH terms

Africa
Communicable Disease Control
Communicable Diseases / diagnosis
Communicable Diseases / therapy*
Health Occupations / education
Health Workforce
Humans
International Cooperation
Public Health Administration
Public Health* / education